The Avrin Hospital in the northern Syrian region of Shehba works under the most difficult conditions. Especially the situation of the refugees from Afrin poses great challenges for the hospital staff.

Last month, 16,464 people from the Shehba region received medical care at Avrin Hospital. There is an urgent lack of medical equipment and medicines in the hospital.

Pulmonary and intestinal inflammation and typhoid fever are among the most commonly reported cases of illness in the Avrin hospital. The high number of patients, who increase in the summer months due to increased cases of illnesses of children and the elderly, presents the hospital with great difficulties. The staff therefore calls for support for the facility.

In June, according to the hospital officials, in 2,020 cases, children had to be treated for typhoid fever. In addition there were 384 surgical operations. The hospital treats people for free, but there is a shortage of medicines.

Dr. Azad Sebrî, who works at the Avrin Hospital, explains that the lack of clean water in particular drives up the number of illnesses. "This applies especially to the people in the refugee camps. At the same time, we have too few expert doctors here. We also struggle with a lack of equipment and medicines. Although our hospital is open 24 hours a day, we are hardly able to cope with local needs," said Sebrî, who called on international aid agencies to address the plight of people in the Shehba region.