UN sent 1st radiotherapy to northwest Syria with support of Türkiye

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The UN announced Tuesday it sent the first radiotherapy machine to treat cancer to northwest Syria during the weekend.

“This comes on the heels of advocacy efforts led by the UN and our health partners, with support from the Government of Türkiye,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement.

“This is a monumental step for cancer treatment in north-west Syria. Radiotherapy sessions are not available in local health facilities,” it said. “Syrian cancer patients have been dependent on cross-border referrals to Türkiye, and this system was temporarily disrupted earlier this year due to the earthquakes.”

The radiotherapy machine, which OCHA said can provide more than 40 sessions a day, is now in the largest hospital in Afrin.

“Turkish health authorities are also providing support for one year, with Turkish technicians and oncologists operating the machine on-site and also training Syrian health workers,” the statement said.

It noted that there has been an uptick in cancer cases since a major earthquake in February.