International Disaster Relief Update: Jordan

In response to the Syrian refugee crisis . . . 

ISAPS-LEAP Surgical Relief Teams missions are currently underway.

Since the beginning of the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, millions of civilians have fled toward safety in neighboring and regional countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt. As of February 16, 2014, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that there are approximately 600,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan.

In October 2013, we sent our first surgical team to Jordan for a week-long mission to work with the Treating the Wounded Syrian Program. Subsequent teams were sent in January and February 2014. Presently, the fourth volunteer team has embarked from Saudi Arabia. Over the next six months, we will send an additional nine plastic and reconstructive surgical teams from around the world to treat wounded Syrians.

Recently treated patients have required care across the full surgical spectrum, including traumatic blast and gunshot wounds to upper and lower extremities, hands, and face. During our last surgical mission trip (February 7-14, 2014), ISAPS member Dr. Gary Jacobs (USA), Mrs. Rosemary Jacobs, CST (USA), and Dr. Burt Faibisoff (USA) operated alongside their Syrian and Jordanian colleagues, completing more than 30 procedures on 22 patients. In total, the first three surgical teams have evaluated over 150 patients, selecting more than 45 for surgery.

To offset expenses related to leasing patient care and operating rooms in Jordan, LEAP Foundation donated $10,000 to the Treating the Wounded Syrian Program. This gift will help fund outpatient screening and rehabilitation programs that are essential to identifying patients for surgery as well as assisting with care for the patients recently discharged from the hospital.

To volunteer for a mission:

ISAPS members: https://www.leapmissions.org/about/disaster-relief/

Non-ISAPS members: http://members.isaps.org/how-to-join-isaps.html