Four areas targeted in international aid survey

THE Syrian government will allow the United Nations to assess the basic medical needs of Syrians in four areas where opposition forces have clashed with government troops and to also carry out a preliminary humanitarian needs assessment, officials said yesterday.

But the rare access to strife-torn areas of Syria gained by two UN agencies depends on the co-operation of local medical students, Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid workers and other non-government organisations to conduct the survey.

A third UN agency, for humanitarian needs, announced yesterday it had gained access for its own preliminary assessment.

World Health Organisation spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said a “very preliminary and basic survey” overseen by his agency and the UN Population Fund will be carried out next week with the co-operation of Syria’s health ministry.

Medical students and aid workers will fan out in four areas affected by the crisis: the city of Homs, the southern city of Deraa, where protests began, the north-eastern city of Deir al-Zour and the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, he told reporters in Geneva.

He said needs would be assessed and the results analysed by all agencies providing aid.