Syria: Refugee Babies In 'Terrible' Conditions

More than one million Syrian children are now refugees amid the nation's civil war with one baby born into camps and settlements every hour, according to Unicef.

The charity is appealing worldwide for more than half a billion pounds to help provide humanitarian aid for the young inside the country and in neighbouring Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt in 2014.

It comes as a harsh winter batters the region, with temperatures in crowded and unhygienic camps hitting as low as -6C.

Babies are at high risk of diseases such as pneumonia, and around 200,000 pregnant women in and around Syria are also extremely vulnerable.

Jon Sparkes, from Unicef UK, said: "Too many Syrian newborns are spending their crucial first months living in terrible conditions that no child should ever have to experience.

"Countless babies are at increased risk of infections, disease and even death and we need to act urgently to reach and protect more children in desperate need."

As food prices soar, an increasing number of children are at risk of malnutrition, says Unicef.

Inside Syria the situation is also bleak. The number of children dying of the condition has gone up by five times, as has the number of children admitted to hospital with severe or acute malnutrition.

Hundreds of thousands of children have missed out on routine immunisations for more than two years and are now highly vulnerable to infectious diseases like measles and polio.

Syria, whose civil war began in 2011, has been hit with its first outbreak of polio in 14 years.

At least 17 children inside Syria have contracted polio and hundreds of thousands of children are at risk across the region.

Mr Sparkes added: "We urgently need to be able to reach every child in Syria and across the region before we lose an entire generation forever.

"Unicef is working around the clock, providing supplies like blankets, warm clothes and medicine to get children through the bitter winter.

"We are also vaccinating children against potentially life-threatening diseases, including polio, and running specialist outreach programmes to reach refugee babies with basic health care.

"However, the situation is at breaking point and needs are great."

People can help by texting 'SYRIA' to 70007 to give £5. They can also donate online and the Government will match pound for pound all public donations.

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