Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations

Short description: Syrian healthcare chairty

Union Of Medical Care And Relief Organizations

Union des Organisations de Secours et Soins Médicaux

Abbreviation| UOSSM
Formation| 2012
Type| NGO
Purpose| Humanitarian Healthcare

International Chair

| Ghanem Tayara
Website| https://www.uossm.org/

The Union Of Medical Care And Relief Organizations (usually known by the acronym of their French name Union des Organisations de Secours et Soins Médicaux, UOSSM[1]) is a humanitarian non-governmental organization that provides healthcare in rebel-held areas of North West Syria.[1][2]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Medical activities
* 3 Advocacy
* 4 Hospital attacks
* 5 Key people
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 External links

## History

UOSSM was founded by group of expatriate Syrian doctors in 2012[3] and later grew into an international organization.[4] As of 2015, it had an annual budget of USD$18 million.[1]

UOSSM has offices in eight countries,[1] including USA, Canada, and France.[3][5]

## Medical activities

UOSSM provide free medical care and equipment to 113 Syrian healthcare facilities.[3][1] Services provided by UOSSM include primary health care, pediatrics, gynecology and reproductive health services, general and internal medicine, nutrition, community health, pharmacy, vaccinations,[6] and intensive care.[7]

Four UOSSM hospitals use telemedicine.[8] Since 2016, the organization has used 480 solar panels to partly (30% to 40%) power a hospital,[9][10] as well as an electric vehicle to deliver vaccines.[11]

## Advocacy

In 2020, UOSSM called for more international support for healthcare organizations in Syria, and reported on COVID-19 cases overwhelming hospital facilities.[12]

In 2017 and 2018, the organization shared news of chemical gas attacks in Syria.[13][14]

In 2018, UOSSM called for the international community to provide food aid and shelter to Syrians.[15]

## Hospital attacks

In 2016, four UOSSM staff were killed in Aleppo when airstrikes hit two ambulances.[16][4]

Eighty-five of their hospitals were attacked in 2020.[3] They have blamed Russian and Syrian government forces for attacks.[17][18]

## Key people

* Ghanem Tayara MD, Chair, UOSSM International[19]
* Anas Al-Kassem MD, Founder, UOSSM Canada[1][2]
* Ziad Alissa MD, director of UOSSM France[3][16]

## See also

* Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war
* Russian–Syrian hospital bombing campaign

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Chowdhry, Affan (2015-12-23). "Canadian surgeon risks his life to help Syrians caught in civil war" (in en-CA). The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-surgeon-risks-his-life-to-help-syrians-overseas-caught-in-war/article27935445/.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Doctors should not be used as weapons of war: says Nott in Oakville" (in en-CA). https://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/6717569-doctors-should-not-be-used-as-weapons-of-war-says-nott-in-oakville/.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 News, A. B. C.. "Lives Lost: Doctor chose to stay, work in war-torn Syria" (in en). https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/lives-lost-doctor-chose-stay-work-war-torn-74774021.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Beirut, Agence France-Presse in (2016-09-21). "Syria air raid kills four medical workers near Aleppo" (in en). http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/21/syria-air-raid-kills-four-medical-workers-aleppo.
5. ↑ Cole, Diane (2019-06-03). "How To Do Brain Surgery In A War Zone" (in en). NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/06/03/729254202/as-bombs-fall-a-neurosurgeon-tells-how-he-keeps-calm-in-syria.
6. ↑ "Nearly 83,000 Syrian people in Ariha experiencing severe shortages in medical sector" (in en-US). 2020-09-11. https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2020/09/nearly-83000-syrian-people-in-ariha-experiencing-severe-shortages-in-medical-sector/.
7. ↑ Giovannetti, Justin (2016-11-25). "Meet the Edmonton doctor saving lives in Syria" (in en-CA). The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/how-to-treat-a-patient-when-youre-half-a-world-away/article33051960/.
8. ↑ "How webcams are helping Canadian doctors save lives in Syria" (in en). 2015-10-15. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/how-webcams-are-helping-canadian-doctors-save-lives-in-syria-1.2610770.
9. ↑ "Solar power for Syria" (in en-GB). 13 September 2017. https://www.power-technology.com/features/featuresolar-power-for-syria-stepping-away-from-the-fuels-at-the-centre-of-conflicts-5924053/.
10. ↑ Brooks, Cholo. "Canadian medical aid group sets up solar powered hospital after years of work – Global News Network" (in en-US). https://gnnliberia.com/2017/12/17/canadian-medical-aid-group-sets-solar-powered-hospital-years-work/.
11. ↑ "Ponen a prueba vehículo eléctrico para atención sanitaria en zonas de guerra" (in es-MX). 2022-01-27. https://www.forbes.com.mx/mundo-ponen-a-prueba-vehiculo-electrico-para-atencion-sanitaria-en-zonas-de-guerra.
12. ↑ "The Latest: Rebel-held NW Syria facing unprecedented surge" (in en). 2021-10-07. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/beirut-people-vietnam-more-covid-b1933882.html.
13. ↑ "83 people, including 25 children, reportedly killed in Syria gas attack" (in en). https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/syria-chemical-attack-reportedly-kills-dozens-idlib-province-n742416.
14. ↑ "Dozens dead in 'one of worst chemical strikes in Syrian history'" (in en). https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-70-dead-in-chemical-attack-by-syrian-regime-in-eastern-ghouta-says-rescue-group-11322143.
15. ↑ "Flooding displaces thousands of refugees in northern Syria - National | Globalnews.ca" (in en-US). https://globalnews.ca/news/4800691/syria-refugee-camp-flooding/.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 September 2016, Naharnet Newsdesk 21; 10:05. "Four Medics Killed in Strike on Clinic near Syria's Aleppo". http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/216797.
17. ↑ "Canadian-run hospital in Syria 'completely destroyed'" (in en). 2016-04-29. https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/canadian-run-hospital-in-syria-completely-destroyed-1.2880901.
18. ↑ "Health care in Syria 'weaponized' by gov't forces, Russian allies: report" (in en). 2017-03-19. https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/health-care-in-syria-weaponized-by-gov-t-forces-russian-allies-report-1.3331832.
19. ↑ "Airstrike destroys Syrian cave hospital built under 18 metres of solid rock". CBC. 1 Feb 2018. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.4514318/airstrike-destroys-syrian-cave-hospital-built-under-18-metres-of-solid-rock-1.4514847.

## External links

* Official international website

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