Darayya, located in the Damascus countryside, was one of the most heavily damaged cities during the more than 13-year war.
The city was exposed to a long siege and intensive bombing, which resulted in the total destruction of the health infrastructure, including all hospitals and medical centers.
Darayya’s population, estimated to be over 130 thousand people, currently faces a significant scarcity of basic health services, particularly dialysis, which is critical for renal failure patients.
As part of Ghawth’s mission to assess the health situation in the Darayya region, the Ghawth team conducted a field visit to the only dialysis center in the Darayya region, which is a center under construction.
This center has three dialysis machines and seven medical beds. The electrical and water outlet connections are ready.The center is also powered by solar energy.
There are 30 dialysis patients in the Darayya area who have to travel to Sahnaia to receive this service. However, the center in Sahnaia is under significant pressure due to the high number of patients. Therefore, no more than two sessions are provided to the patient per week (which is less than what is required, as it is recommended that the patient must receive three dialysis sessions per week).
Given Syria’s current economic circumstances, patients face hefty traveling fees, which further impedes their ability to obtain this treatment.
It is expected that the pressure on the Sahnaya dialysis center will increase with the return of the people of Darayya, and thus the possibility of an increase in the number of kidney failure patients who need to receive dialysis sessions, which will further exacerbate the situation.
The center’s primary need is for dialysis materials (medical supplies and medication), as well as to cover the expenditures of medical staff. The center also has seven clinics, which can be turned into basic healthcare clinics once they are outfitted with the appropriate materials.
