Cancer Patients in Syria Need Your Support

Provide Medical Care & Relief
to Earthquake Victims in Syria

Over 50,000 were killed, tens of thousands wounded, hundreds of thousands displaced after massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Syria and Turkey. Provide emergency medical and humanitarian relief today!

We Provide Complete Mental
Health and Rehabilitation Services!

We have been providing mental health services since 2012 in Syria, Turkey and Jordan. Click below to learn more!

Mobile Clinics

Since 2013, UOSSM has established mobile clinics and primary healthcare centers, providing essential health services to the most vulnerable in Syria.

Nutrition Services

Malnutrition continues to threaten the lives of children in displacement camps in northwest Syria. 1 out of every 5 children is malnourished in Idlib while that ratio is 1 in 4 in Aleppo. UOSSM continues to respond as nutrition teams visit areas of displacement screening for malnutrition.

About UOSSM USA

About UOSSM USA

UOSSM USA is a registered 501(c)(3) medical humanitarian organization, that provides medical relief, emergency lifesaving aid, and quality healthcare to those affected by crisis. UOSSM USA is dedicated to its mission and increases its impact by partnering with local communities and organizations world-wide and is non-political and non-sectarian in its mission…

Latest News

Latest News

WhatsApp Image 2023-03-10 at 8.22.47 AM

The devastating earthquake affected the people of northwest Syria in many ways. Since the earthquake on Feb. 6, there are 450 cancer patients waiting to enter Turkey to receive cancer treatment. Most of the patients need radiotherapy sessions which is not available at all in northwest Syria. The rest of the patients need chemotherapy, which may be available in northwest Syria, but at a very high cost. These services are provided free of charge in Turkey.

The video above is 8 year old Taym as he tells his story of struggling with cancer.

The health situation in northwest Syria has been deteriorating for years, due to the war, lack of essential needs, and exposure to various types of chemicals and carcinogens from weapons, which has led to various outbreaks and diseases, and a high rise in cancer and incurable diseases. These factors are all causing a high percentage of deaths among cancer patients.

Currently, there are three specialized oncology centers in northwest Syria. These centers provide free consultations in addition to some simple medical procedures. This varies based on availability of the medicines and capability to provide services. Cancer patients suffer from the high cost of chemical medicines and some procedures that may require accommodation in private hospitals to take doses,  receive intensive care, etc. Many times the family cannot afford the high costs.

Currently, there are 4300 active cancer cases in northwest Syria.

The most common cancers are breast cancer – 13%, lung cancer – 11%, blood cancer – 10%, colorectal cancer – 7%, prostate cancer – 6%, stomach cancer – 4%.

More than 15% of those patients are children suffering from blood cancer.

The major cause of death for these cancer patients is the inability to access expensive medicines and treatment.
You can click here to support cancer patients in northwest Syria.

 

 

Nour is only 2 1/2 years old. She has had to endure so much in her young life. On February 6, her whole world changed. The devastating earthquake not only killed her mother and 5 year old brother, but she was critically injured. She remained buried under the rubble for 60 hours until she was finally saved.

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Nour had to have her right leg amputated. Her injuries were critical, as she suffers from crush syndrome, which caused her to lose a lot of tissue in her bottom. She has had to endure excruciating pain over the past two months. She had several surgeries, including reconstructive surgery, along with other treatment to help save her life. She has to be sedated to change the bandaging and dressing on her wounds. She has been receiving care at Aqrabat Hospital for over two months.

Nour and her family were a displaced family in Jandaris. They already had to endure so much pain from forced displacement. Now Nour must learn to live without her mother and brother, and learn to walk with the aid of a prosthetic limb.

There are so many children like Nour. Many children receiving care at our hospitals became orphans in a matter of minutes, many are suffering from terrible injuries. Many are traumatized…

The earthquake added a crisis on top of an already existing humanitarian crisis in the region. The need continues to be so great.

There are now 4.5 million people in northwest Syria, of which 4.1 million people are in need. They continue to suffer every single day… 

You can support our earthquake relief efforts by clicking here.

 

UOSSM’s response to the earthquake in Syria and Turkey was immediate, due to the existing framework and operations in northwest Syria since 2012. With over 1800 staff on the ground, our team has been working tirelessly, for almost two months, despite all the pain and heartache, to alleviate the suffering and help heal and save lives of earthquake victims. Many of UOSSM’s staff found themselves as victims but continued to push and help save lives.

Some injuries of earthquake victims are minor, but many are complicated causing lives to be lost, limbs to be amputated, and recovery to be extremely difficult. The earthquake left many children without families, changing countless lives forever. Even cancer patients are having difficulty accessing crucial medical care in Turkey, leaving innocent lives to battle the horrible disease with little relief.

UOSSM proudly has  provided 80,265 consultations to 51,373 patients, provided 1172 major surgeries and 191 minor surgeries, along with other vital services such as diagnostics, dialysis, and blood unit distribution through our 30 hospitals and health facilities, 10 mobile clinics, and 62 ambulances since February 6.

At least 50,000 were killed, hundreds of  thousands were injured, and thousands upon thousands were displaced, many for a second, third, or even fourth time.

There is still so much to do. Please support our work as we continue to provide the victims with the care and humanitarian relief they deserve.

On March 1, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited northwest Syria following the devastating earthquakes that hit northern Syria and southern Turkey on February 6, to evaluate the situation assessing area hospitals including UOSSM’s Aqrabat Hospital. In addition, the Director met with UOSSM’s Country Director, Dr. Daher Zedan, to better understand current medical needs in northwest Syria, and to coordinate a future response plan. The WHO team also met with the Idlib Health Directorate and representatives of other humanitarian organizations on the ground as they discussed the difficulties the health sector faced  with the catastrophic earthquake, needs to support the medical sector, and planning a coordinated response in the near future.

Dr Tedros said at a media briefing following the visits,”WHO is playing our role in supporting the Syrian people, who have responded incredibly with the little that they have. WHO has been delivering essential medicines, supplies, and equipment for years, as well as on the day the earthquakes struck. And we will do more. But the people of northwest Syria need the assistance of the international community to recover and rebuild. Even before the earthquake, more than 90% of the Syrian people were living below the poverty line…I call on the international community – governments, philanthropies and individuals – to dig deep to lift up those who are enduring unimaginable loss, poverty and deprivation.”

Yasmeen is 4 years old. She was severely injured in the earthquake in the Jandaris area in northwest Syria. She was rushed to Aqrabat Hospital where she received immediate emergency care for her injuries. She had to have emergency surgery to repair her broken metatarsal bones in the foot by inserting rods. Doctors also investigated the dead tissue that resulted from the crush injuries. The surgery was a success.

Yasmeen has been in the hospital receiving the medical care she needs to make a full recovery. Many of the staff love her sweet personality and she trusted them to care for her and change her bandages. Her health continues to improve. She especially developed a connection with one of her caregivers Abd Al Jawad, who helped her with her pain both physically and emotionally.

We thank all our staff who have been working tirelessly to help save lives, minutes after the earthquake, despite being in terrible situations themselves including the loss of loved ones, injuries, and becoming displaced.
Together, we will continue to save lives and build hope.

You can continue to support our earthquake relief efforts by donating here.

About Our Programs

About Our Programs

UOSSM has played an integral role in the mental health and healthcare in the Syrian crisis. UOSSM established strategic initiatives early on in the crisis, working closely with local communities, the most vulnerable, particularly women & children, national and international organizations; providing quality healthcare services to millions of people in need…

UOSSM USA Earthquake Relief 2023

UOSSM USA Earthquake Relief 2023

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19 hours ago
UOSSM USA

UOSSM and UOSSM USA, participated in the first Jordanian Conference for Mental Health titled “Towards Better Mental Health for All” in Amman, Jordan. The conference was coordinated and sponsored by theThe University of Jordan - الجامعة الأردنية, and Dr. Nather Obidat (President of University of Jordan).

The UOSSM team, Mr. Muhammad Ajoum, Dr. Hani Zakry, Dr. Nasser Al-Hafez, and Dr. Oruba Shawaqfeh, presented a variety of topics and shared information about services being provided by UOSSM in northwest Syria and UOSSM’s emergency response to the earthquake disaster.
The following topics were presented:
- The Psychological Impact of the Earthquake Disaster on Syrians in Turkey and Northwest Syria. (This included people, and former and current mental health patients).
- Shrink in the Making: Learning to Become a Psychiatrist in a War-Wounded Country; Establishing Psychiatric Training Program in Northwest Syria.
- The Effectiveness of Group Counseling Programs: based on selective theory in reducing the level of depression and developing emotional balance among female prisoners sentenced in criminal cases in Jordan.

The conference lasted for three days and brought together professionals, researchers, scholars, and workers in the field of mental health from Jordan and the Arab region. 33 scientific discussion sessions and 130 scientific papers were presented, in addition to 21 workshops, in Arabic and English, aimed at sharing experiences and skills, and elevating the level of mental health care.

Head of the conference, Dr. Walid Sarhan’s ultimate goal of the conference was to implement mental health accordingly within the health system, by bringing together workers and researchers in this field from various disciplines to work on elevating the professional and scientific level in the field of mental health.

The conference dealt with several points, including mental disorders throughout various stages of life, psychological treatment and pharmacological treatment, the work of the multidisciplinary psychological team, addiction and suicide, fighting stigma in mental health, tele-psychological care, the role of various institutions in mental health, and the development of psychological professions and mental health in the work environment.
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#UOSSM #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Jordan #NorthwestSyria #TurkeySyriaEarthquake #Humanitarian #Hope
... See MoreSee Less

UOSSM  and UOSSM USA, participated in the first Jordanian Conference for Mental Health titled “Towards Better Mental Health for All” in Amman, Jordan. The conference was coordinated and sponsored by theThe University of Jordan - الجامعة الأردنية, and Dr. Nather Obidat (President of University of Jordan).

The UOSSM team, Mr. Muhammad Ajoum, Dr. Hani Zakry, Dr. Nasser Al-Hafez, and Dr. Oruba Shawaqfeh, presented a variety of topics and shared information about services being provided by UOSSM in northwest Syria and UOSSM’s emergency response to the earthquake disaster.
The following topics were presented: 
- The Psychological Impact of the Earthquake Disaster on Syrians in Turkey and Northwest Syria. (This included people, and former and current mental health patients).
- Shrink in the Making: Learning to Become a Psychiatrist in a War-Wounded Country; Establishing Psychiatric Training Program in Northwest Syria.
- The Effectiveness of Group Counseling Programs: based on selective theory in reducing the level of depression and developing emotional balance among female prisoners sentenced in criminal cases in Jordan.

The conference lasted for three days and brought together professionals, researchers, scholars, and workers in the field of mental health from Jordan and the Arab region. 33 scientific discussion sessions and 130 scientific papers were presented, in addition to 21 workshops, in Arabic and English, aimed at sharing experiences and skills, and elevating the level of mental health care.

Head of the conference, Dr. Walid Sarhan’s ultimate goal of the conference was to implement mental health accordingly within the health system, by bringing together workers and researchers in this field from various disciplines to work on elevating the professional and scientific level in the field of mental health. 

The conference dealt with several points, including mental disorders throughout various stages of life, psychological treatment and pharmacological treatment, the work of the multidisciplinary psychological team, addiction and suicide, fighting stigma in mental health, tele-psychological care, the role of various institutions in mental health, and the development of psychological professions and mental health in the work environment.
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#UOSSM #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Jordan #NorthwestSyria #TurkeySyriaEarthquake #Humanitarian #HopeImage attachmentImage attachment+6Image attachment

Comment on Facebook

شكرا لكم

جزاكم الله خيراً

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2 days ago
UOSSM USA

Our team provided the following advice for Mental Health Awareness Month:
-Do not be afraid to seek help, with support you can improve.
-Your family and friends will all help and support you to ensure better mental health.
-Let us all come together today to support mental health patients by providing specialized -awareness about mental health.
-Having a mental disorder does not mean you are crazy.
-The importance of mental health revolves around a secure community.
-Mental health awareness means love and acceptance instead of judgement and shame.
-Do not let social stigma prevent you from accessing mental health services.
-Ending the stigma is the beginning of hope in providing mental health services.
Together, we will continue to save lives and build hope.
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#UOSSM #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #counseling #humanitarian #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthrecovery #Syria #jordan #turkey #hope
#mentalhealthawarnesofmay
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Comment on Facebook

Thank you for your support UOSSM USA

Thank you all

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5 days ago
UOSSM USA

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Let’s improve our mental health together with some friendly advice.
Remember, good mental health = good health!
Together, we are saving lives and building hope.
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#UOSSM #mentalhealthawareness #MentalHealth #Humanitarian #Medical #Syria #Idlib #Turkey #Jordan #Hope
... See MoreSee Less

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Let’s improve our mental health together with some friendly advice.
Remember, good mental health = good health!
Together, we are saving lives and building hope.
.
.
.
#UOSSM #mentalhealthawareness #MentalHealth #Humanitarian #Medical #Syria #Idlib #Turkey #Jordan #Hope

Comment on Facebook

جزاكم الله خيرا

جزاكم الله خيرا

We always wish happy mental health to everyone.. Thank you, UOSSM USA

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5 days ago
UOSSM USA

Proud of our family at UOSSM Canada! Great work! ... See MoreSee Less

Proud of our family at UOSSM Canada! Great work!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

Comment on Facebook

الله يعطيكم العافيه

موفقين

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5 days ago
UOSSM USA

We are proud to participate in the First Jordanian Conference on Mental Health.
#mentalhealthawarenessmonth #UOSSM
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