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