Damascus - George Al Shami
The opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition's (SNC) relief and refugee affairs representative in Jordan, Rima Fleihan, has said the SNC will provide her department with monthly funding of which she has already received $129,400 as a first payment. Covering the period from March 1-15, a new report by Fleihan discloses a project to source medication for scabies locally. The contagious skin disease is spreading in Syria, caused by the poor living conditions and high population density in which displaced people live, especially at shelters. According to the report, Fleihan has made an agreement with chemist to propose the manual preparation of the formula for the mediation using 220-litre drums of a concentrated ingredient. This would be supplied under the supervision of a doctor and a pharmacist and packed into 111-millimetre containers that are then distributed to pharmacies. Upon release, all detainees are found to have contracted scabies, some in very advanced stages in which bones have become affected. The disease has also spread among members of the opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA). According to the report, "the latest quote we have received from the depot is 175,000 Syrian lira per barrel, and we 50,000 lira initially to cover costs for the 111-millimetre plastic containers, stickers and shipping costs." The total cost, according to the report, would be 225,000 lira. "The project has been fully financed with $2,300."