Source: Reuters - Wed, 22 May 2013 11:07 PM
Author: Reuters

By Lesley Wroughton

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - The World Bank has proposed a $150 million loan for Jordan to help it with the cost of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria, Jordanian and World Bank board sources said on Wednesday.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Mounting concerns that public health crisis may aggravate Syria humanitarian situation. 420,000 Palestine refugees unable to meet basic needs.
• UN inter-agency cross-line assistance to almost 1 million Syrians despite security and access challenges.
• Syrian refugee population up by nearly 1 million people since January.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Population movement – refugee numbers in the region continue to increase. Since May 1, there were more than 76,000 new refugees; at least 75% of those registered are women and children.

• Operational – Jordanian Ministry of Health and Interior Ministries agreed to relocation of new arrivals registration to Raba Sahan; health screening including immunization will occur here thus enhancing vaccination activities for new arrivals. In Lebanon, coordination skills training sessions was organized by UNHCR and OCHA on May 9.

This figure, which includes 1.5 million who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, represents about 38 per cent of the country’s population.

During his visit to Gaza today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Finland Dr. Erkki Tuomioja announced an additional EUR 1.5 million to the General Fund of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This funding will support UNRWA’s regular programme to Palestine refugees living in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

UNRWA health programme hard hit in Syria but the UN agency's work is having an impact

Today, during the World Health Organization’s sixty sixth’s Annual World Health Summit, UNRWA released its Health Department 2012 Annual Report. The publication reflects on the operational challenges, the Agency has faced with rolling out an ongoing health reform and managing regular services during times of conflict.

UNHCR says the number of Syrian refugees flooding into Jordan has suddenly fallen from several thousand a day to close to zero and warns that fighting may be blocking people.

Mafraq [ACTED News] – Due to the highly dynamic context in Za’atari refugee camp, in Northern Jordan, which is hosting more than 120,000 refugees, with daily arrival rates ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 people, information on the number of refugees, their social organisation and physical location remains extremely fragmented, hindering the targeted and efficient humanitarian response.

1. Operational Highlights and Situation update

• Assessment was conducted in Raba Sahan on the 14th of May by UNHCR Health staff and IOM in order plan new arrival vaccination and health screening services.

• MoH reports that in health centres and hospitals in and around Ramtha medication supplies that used to be enough for one month are now barely lasting for 8-­‐10 days.