Erstellt am: 20. 12. 2012 - 16:03 Uhr

The healthcare crisis within the crisis

Reality Check: Doctors Without Border in Syria, Midde East 2013; US Economy; Pussy Riot; End of the World

Aleppo. Doctors without Borders

The medical aid organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has set up a field hospital in Syria, in the northern part of the province of Aleppo. It has 20 beds, an ER (emergency room), an operating theatre with 4 surgeons, a delivery ward (which in the last month has seen around 70 births) and an outpatient department (Ambulanz) dealing with between 50 and 60 consultations per day. The strategy, says Franz Luef, head of the MSF mission and who has just returned from Syria, was to be able to provide comprehensive health care to the whole population.

The victims of the fighting in Syria’s civil war are perhaps the patients who come to mind first when trying to imagine the scenes in Syria’s hospitals. But the conflict has also destroyed what used to be a very good public health system in Syria, says Franz Luef, and this has left many people without access to treatment. It’s one aspect of the crisis which many people don’t see.

The Middle East & North Africa in 2013

From forthcoming elections in Iran, to splits among Palestinians and economic woes in Tunisia and Egypt, what are the impending issues? We get the thoughts of Middle East exprt Shashank Joshi.

The Fiscal Cliff

Is the US going to go over it? Things seemed a bit more peaceful between Republicans and Democrats on this issue earlier on this week. Our correspondent Priscilla Huff gives us the latest from DC on whether the politicians can agree on the economy.

Pussy Riot: Prison Conditions

An "anti-life" where prisoners feel disguarded. Maria Alyokhina, one of the band members currently in Corrective Labour Colony No 28 in the Urals has written an article published in a Russian newspaper about her daily existence. Our Moscow correpondent Charles Maynes has been monitoring her story.

Oh those Mayans!

The big day is just around the corner but what did the Mayans really tell the world about Armageddon? Kate Farmer reports.