Infectious Disease inNathan

Refugee PopulationsAhlgrim

“Thanks to the Jordanian MOH's vigilance and support from WHO, UNICEF, and other partners, to

date no major infectious disease epidemics have occurred, but outbreaks appeared and risks are

increasing.”

“The Katindo temporary treatment centre consisted of an elementary school building and

compound… The Rwandan physicians operating the centre were trained in specialities other than

internal medicine.”

Refugees are granted special protections

• http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/un-agencies/office-of-the-united-nations-high-

commissioner-for-refugees/

• UNCHR (2013)

Non-refoulment

Same protections ascitizens

Countries like Lebanonactively avoid refugeecamps (Loveless, 2013)

Relatively low density is possible because of the urbanization of refugees

Modern refugee camps are not confined to ‘tent cities’

Al Zataari camp in Lebanonhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignoffice/9660899869/in/photostream/

Areas in red: more than 900 people for every hectare

http://reliefweb.int/map/jordan/jordan-al-zaatari-refugee-camp-population-density-30-may-2013

Syrian refugee crisisMore than 2 million refugees seeking asylum

1 in 6 people in Lebanon are Syrian refugees

Many remain unregistered

UNCHR (2014)

Health Management and Crises

An enormous mobilization by local

and international NGOs.

The UN has pledged $6.5 billion.

Not all needs are met.

In war-torn areas, infrastructure does not mean

treatment

Healthcare professionals are often in

the class that is able to escape.

The result: the hospitals that

are left standing are often vacant.

Most providers are volunteers

or with an NGO

http://time.com/3968/syrias-health-crisis-spirals-as-doctors-flee/

Health concerns of refugees before displacement

Lack of vaccinations within Syria

endanger the camps and urban

populations

Polio and measles have made a

comeback in these at-risk populationsUn.org

Unicef.org

Potential dangers: Cholera in Goma

• http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0409/stoddart14.html

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1768448.stm

• Goma Epidemiology Group (1995)

How Syria is differentEven so, the longer the

conflict extends, the

worse the health status of incoming

refugees

“Middle income disease burden”:

Exacerbation of existing illnesses

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/08/un-logs-1-million-syrian-child-refugees/

Bibliography• Abu Sa’Da, C. & Serafini, M. (2013). Humanitarian and medical challenges of assisting new refugees in

Lebanon and Iraq. Forced Migration Review, 44.• Goma Epidemiology Group (1995). Public health impact of Rwandan refugee crisis: what happened in

Goma, Zaire, in July, 1994? The Lancet, 345, 339-344.• Loveless, J. (2013). Crisis in Lebanon: camps for Syrian refugees? Forced Migration Review, 43, 66-68.• Murshidi, M. M., Hijjawi, M. Q., Jeriesat, S., & Eltom, A. (2013). Syrian refugees and Jordan's health

sector. The Lancet, 382(9888), 206-207.• Parker-Magyar, E. (2013, December 26). As if Syria didn't have enough problems, now a polio epidemic

looms. The Guardian. Retrieved February 28, 2014, from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/26/syrian-refugees-polio-immunizations-government-blockades

• Siddique, A., Akram, K., Zaman, K., Laston, S., Salam, A., Majumdar, R., et al. (1995). Why treatment centres failed to prevent cholera deaths among Rwandan refugees in Goma, Zaire. The Lancet, 345, 359-361.

• UNCHR (2007). Convention and protocol relating to the status of refugees. Geneva.• Urban Refugees. (n.d.). UNHCR News. Retrieved February 27, 2014, from http://

www.unhcr.org/pages/4b0e4cba6.ht