When minutes are longer than hours
5'
In a village near Mafraq, Jordan, not far from the Syrian border, Heba and Qasem share a house with two other families. The married couple live here as refugees, with little access to basic services or safe drinking water.
When Heba was near the end of her first pregnancy, she needed emergency care and was rushed to a nearby hospital in Mafraq. Despite the seriousness of her condition, and the risk to the lives of her and the baby, the hospital refused to treat her. They asked her to leave because the delivery she needed didn’t match their terms and conditions, and the couple couldn’t pay the fees.
Since November 2014, Syrian refugees have had to pay the cost of using Jordan’s public health facilities. At the start of the refugee crisis, they received free access, but the costs have become too much to bear for the Jordanian government. This means that Syrian refugees living outside of camps, like Heba and Qasem, are increasingly unable to pay for medical treatment.
Fear filled Qasem. He was worried about losing the baby and about the risks to Heba’s life. He was also worried about hospital fees he could not repay.
Yet there was only one possible choice. He rushed Heba to a hospital in Irbid, which agreed to provide the needed care for a price.
In a moment he will never forget, Qasem felt blessed and full of joy when he heard the first cry of his newborn baby girl, Sham, which means Damascus.
CHECK OUR LATEST STORIES
Featured StoriesStoriesYemenHealth and Nutrition
From a shack to a health unit
Following nearly a decade of conflict in Yemen, the country has experienced a partial collapse of an already fragile public infrastructure, leaving approximately 66 percent of the population in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Yemen’s healthcare system has...
StoriesUkraineReconstructionShelter and Infrastructure
Healing touch
In recent years, numerous villages in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region have endured relentless conflict, leaving a trail of destruction: demolished homes, shattered windows, and roofs torn apart. Yet, amidst this tragic aftermath, Medair’s efforts have provided hope and...
StoriesSudanEmergency ResponseHumanitarian Aid
Sudan 2024 – the world’s largest internal displacement crisis
On 15th April 2023, civil war broke out in Sudan between two rival factions of the military government of Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Sudan is a culturally complex country, with its African and Arabic...
StoriesYemenHealth and Nutrition
When a health facility becomes a lifeline
The conflict in Yemen has triggered a widespread humanitarian crisis, with health and nutrition emerging as critical concerns. Among these, malnutrition poses a severe threat to children under the age of five and pregnant or breastfeeding women. The district of...
StoriesAfghanistanWomen & Children
Celebrating the Women Bringing Hope in Afghanistan
In marking International Women’s Day, we want to recognize the determination and commitment of Afghan women. Medair has been working in Afghanistan for 28 years and has had the privilege of witnessing dedicated women serving the most vulnerable individuals in their...
In conversation with Anne Reitsema – International Women’s Month
In conversation with Anne Reitsema – International Women’s Month As we move into March and with it, International Women’s Month, we caught up with Medair CEO Anne Reitsema for a cup of coffee and a conversation about Medair’s work to support vulnerable women – and...
International Women’s Day: Empowering Women with Humanitarian Aid
Imagine a world where every woman, regardless of her circumstances, has the opportunity to not just survive, but thrive. In this world, women are protected from violence, have the same access to essential services, and are empowered to pursue their dreams without...
StoriesAfghanistanHealth and Nutrition
Building resilience
The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has been exacerbated due to the influx of Afghan returnees from Pakistan. The people of Afghanistan are currently suffering from lack of access to basic services, entrenched poverty, prolonged drought-like conditions,¹ the...