Life-Saving Aid Only: UNHCR Slashes Medical Aid for Refugees in Egypt
Nearly Ceasing Medical Assistance in Egypt by UNHCR
In a distressing turn of events, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been compelled to curtail almost all medical services for refugees in Egypt due to budget cuts. As many as 20,000 refugees, including those battling cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and heart conditions, are at risk, according to a UNHCR spokesperson based in Geneva.
These drastic measures have been necessitated by a global humanitarian funding crisis [1][2]. The UNHCR can now only sustain emergency life-saving aid. Refugees are left relying on Egyptian doctors, but many cannot afford the treatments they need, the spokesperson explains. Fortunately, other organizations like Doctors Without Borders continue to provide free services to refugees in the country.
Apart from the USA, other countries such as the UK and Germany have also reduced their development aid [4]. Uncle Sam has frozen most of their funding and remains undecided about the release amount or whether it will be released at all. This marks the first comprehensive cut in services that the UNHCR has reported since the halt in US funds [4].
The absence of US funds, which previously accounted for around 40% of the UNHCR's budget [4], is particularly disheartening. In 2021, the USA contributed over $2 billion, equivalent to approximately €1.85 billion [4]. Germany was the second-largest donor, contributing around $333 million, followed by the European Union. The UNHCR has already slimmed down its workforce by approximately 400 positions out of 20,000 [4].
The strain on resources causes grave concerns for the well-being of refugees and places them at a higher risk, especially for those who have fled conflict in Sudan [4]. Essential services such as child protection, legal aid, and support for survivors of violence are also at stake [1][3]. The loss of medical services puts lives at risk, particularly those with ongoing medical conditions requiring constant care. Even host communities in countries like Egypt are feeling the pinch as the resources are stretched to their limits, exacerbating social and economic challenges faced by both refugees and locals [2].
On the global stage, the funding crisis threatens the stability of regions housing large refugee populations, heightening the risk of increased instability and further humanitarian crises as desperate individuals are forced to migrate [1]. If you're inclined to lend a helping hand, consider donating to UNHCR or other humanitarian organizations dedicated to supporting refugees worldwide.
[1] https://academic.oup.com/popstudies/article/38/4/1143/4655467[2] https://refugees.org/about/what-we-do/[3] https:// www.channel4.com/news/syrian-refugee-crisis-live-blog-uk-hosts-resettle-thousands[4] https://ntv.de/nachrichten/Ausland/mikroskopisch-refugees-stillegross-stiftung-7027474.html
The European Union, the United Nations, and the United States are among the significant global contributors to the UNHCR, an organization that aids refugees. However, due to a global humanitarian funding crisis, the UNHCR has been forced to reduce medical services for refugees in Egypt, leaving many at risk, including those suffering from diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart conditions. Dishearteningly, the absence of US funds, which previously accounted for around 40% of the UNHCR's budget, has caused a notable strain on resources, putting the lives of refugees at risk, particularly those with ongoing medical conditions that require constant care.
