Jordan- Several cases of communicable diseases detected among Syrian refugees 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Several cases of communicable diseases have been detected among Syrians in the Zaatari Refugee Camp, health ministry officials said on Saturday.

Health Minister Abdul Latif Wreikat said the ministry is conducting medical checkups in the camp to prevent the spread of communicable diseases among Syrians.

Wreikat noted that 18 cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed and there are two suspected cases of hepatitis, as well as two of typhoid.

Bassam Hijjawi, head of the health ministry's primary healthcare directorate, said more tests are currently being conducted to confirm the hepatitis and typhoid cases.

He also told The Jordan Times that 25 cases of diarrhoea were reported over the past 10 days.

Despite the Kingdom's tight budget, the ministry will keep providing healthcare services for Syrian refugees and will do all that is required to prevent the spread of any diseases, Wreikat said.

He noted that not just communicable diseases are being monitored among Syrians and treated, but also chronic diseases; and the majority of the northern region hospitals are full of Syrian patients.

"The majority of refugees are either injured, or old with chronic diseases, or children who are at the age that they should receive certain vaccines," the minister said, adding that providing these categories with the required health services is costing Jordan millions of dinars.

In addition to the 25,000 Syrian children - under the age of five - that have been inoculated over the past two months, another 251 children of other ages have been vaccinated against different diseases, according to Hijjawi.

Also on Saturday, the ministry announced that the UN Refugee Agency will support the blood bank at Mafraq Public Hospital to be able to provide services for Syrians.