Situation Overview

1.1 Background

Syria remains a complex humanitarian and protracted emergency characterized by over ten years of ongoing hostilities and the resulting long-term consequences, including widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, degradation of basic services, explosive ordnance contamination, and the largest number of internally displaced people (IDPs) worldwide, all of which is further compounded by an ever-worsening economic situation. In 2022, 14.6 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance, an increase of 1.2 million from 2021.

Climatic-induced and human-caused shocks affecting natural resources, particularly water, continue to intensify and exacerbate the humanitarian situation. Insufficient and poorly distributed rainfall, severe drought conditions combined with low water levels in the Euphrates River, regular and sustained cut-off of Alouk water station, and damaged water infrastructure have not only reduced access to safe water for drinking and domestic use for millions of Syrians but also triggered substantial harvest and income losses.

On September 10, 2022, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a cholera outbreak in Aleppo governorate with 15 laboratory confirmed cases reported between August 25 and September 9, 2022. Activities under this plan seek to address the immediate needs stemming from this outbreak and highlight response priorities across all areas of the response and key sectors involved. This plan initially focuses on the Health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) responses for an initial period of 90 days. The activities detailed in this plan are also within the programmatic scope of the 2022-2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

In line with planning parameters outlined further below and through activities laid out in this plan, some of which are referenced under the 2022-2023 HRP, Health partners aim to assist up to 137,000 of the 162,000 people estimated at risk to be affected by Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/Cholera. In addition, WASH partners aim to assist up to 5 million of the 8 million people estimated to be in need of WASH assistance to control and prevent further spread of the outbreak. The overall requirements for this three-month plan amount to $34.2m

Source: World Health Organization