United Nations, Apr 12 (UNI) The United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that it has received reports that an estimated 500 patients at Syrian health facilities have exhibited signs and symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals, after the shelling of a Damascus suburb over the weekend.
“We should all be outraged at these horrific reports and images from Douma,” Peter Salama, WHO Deputy Director-General for Emergency Preparedness and Response said on Wednesday, referring to reports from the agency’s health cluster partners – a WHO-led team of 118 national and international nongovernmental organisations, UN agencies, national authorities and donors working inside Syria to provide emergency and trauma care, as well as basic health services.
According to those reports, patients at health facilities displayed signs of severe irritation of mucous membranes, respiratory failure and disruption to central nervous systems.