Omagh doctor devotes time to plight of Syrian refugees

by Gráinne Connolly

Doctor Peter Garrett from Omagh has been living in Jordan to deliver medical care to Syrian refugees. 

He's working with medical humanitarian organisation - medecins sans frontieres (MSF), also known as 'Doctors Without Borders'. 

They provide medical aid where its most needed, while remaining an independent, neutral organisation. 

Below is a photo tweeted by MSF International, of one of their clinics in Jordan. 

— MSF International (@MSF) 1 January 2017 ">

#Jordan: Clinic to treat ‘silent killer’ #diseases sees patient numbers rise https://t.co/WDrIDO64wu pic.twitter.com/jSImXZf8Na

— MSF International (@MSF) 1 January 2017

MSF currently have 30,000 members of staff, working across 65 countries.

Before working with MSF, Doctor Garrett worked in renal units in both Omagh and Derry for "a couple of decades". 

However, he felt he had served enough time there and decided to join MSF- something he always wanted to do. 

Dr Garrett has now been in Jordan since January as part of a 9 month stay. 

He's the Medical Director of MSF and deals with non-communicable diseases in vulnerable refugees who have had to leave Syria. 

The refugees that live in Jordan are uprooted from their homes and moved there due to the ongoing conflict in their countries. 

This often leaves them depressed and struggling to deal with post-traumatic stress. 

Many of them then develop non-communicable diseases that often stem from a change in their lifestyle. 

Therefore, Doctor Peter Garrett and MSF work in picking up the pieces and helping treat the illnesses and get the people back on their feet.

You can listen to the interview with Peter Garrett in the link posted at the bottom of the page. 

He talks about MSF and how they help Syrian refugees and the hardships that they are faced with after leaving their country. 

Although MSF are a large organisation, it's important for any charity to raise awareness. 

You can read more about MSF on their website and how to get involved with the work that they do: 

https://www.msf.org.uk/

They also have a donation page linked in the website and below: 

https://secure.msf.org.uk/Donate/MultiLanding.aspx?type=dd&source=7001&country=000