Syrian Children in Turkey: A Model of Action for National Pediatric Societies

* Abbreviations: IPA — : International Pediatric Association IPAF — : International Pediatric Association Foundation NGO — : nongovernmental organization TNPS — : Turkish National Pediatric Society The Syrian Civil War, which has been ongoing since March 2011, has forced nearly 11 million people from their homes. Of those remaining in Syria, 13.5 million people, including ∼6 million children, need humanitarian assistance as a result of having fled their homes, enduring hostilities, and experiencing limited access to food, health care, and other basic needs.1 Furthermore, >3.4 million Syrians have fled to Turkey since the start of the conflict. The Turkish government gave an immediate response with an open-door policy and offered temporary protection status. Currently, 9% of the refugee population are living in 26 temporary protection shelters, and the remaining 91% have integrated into the communities in cities across the country. Half of the Syrian refugees are living in the following 4 major cities: Istanbul and 3 other cities near the border (Hatay, Şanliurfa, and Gaziantep). In some provinces near the Syrian border, the percentage of Syrian refugees has reached 50% of the current total population of the province.2,3 The influx of Syrian refugees has increased the burden on the health care system. … Address correspondence to Elif N. Ozmert, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, 06100 Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: nozmert{at}hacettepe.edu.tr