After the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, opposition forces freed prisoners who had been held for years in notorious jails. While their release brings a sense of relief, many are now facing a new and potentially deadly threat—refeeding syndrome.
Doctors fear that many of the released prisoners may suffer from refeeding syndrome, a serious medical condition that occurs when a severely malnourished person is suddenly given a large amount of food. This syndrome can cause severe complications, including damage to the heart, muscles, and nervous system. If not treated properly, it can be fatal.
The condition typically develops when the body is reintroduced to food after a prolonged period of starvation. For prisoners who had been kept alive on minimal rations, sudden access to food could have disastrous effects on their health.
Medical Experts Warn of the Risks
Medical professionals have expressed concern about the health of the freed prisoners. According to reports, many of these individuals had been deprived of proper nutrition for years, living on extremely low food rations. Doctors stress that feeding them large meals or high-calorie foods all at once could have fatal consequences.
Instead, they recommend a gradual approach to reintroducing food, carefully monitoring the prisoners’ health during the process. This method would allow their bodies to adjust and prevent complications from refeeding syndrome.
Horrors of Syria’s Prisons
The prisoners released from Syria’s notorious jails, such as the infamous Saydnaya prison, have endured unimaginable suffering. Many have spent decades behind bars, subjected to torture, starvation, and neglect. Reports indicate that these prisons were designed to break prisoners both physically and mentally, with many held without trial or even charges.
Saydnaya and other prisons like Tadmor have long been notorious for their brutal conditions. The released prisoners now face the challenge of recovering from the physical and psychological trauma caused by years of abuse.
Immediate Medical Intervention Required
As the world learns about the horrors of Assad’s regime, medical experts and human rights organizations are calling for immediate intervention. Released prisoners need urgent medical attention to address malnutrition, infections, and other diseases they may have contracted during their imprisonment. A careful and structured approach to reintegrating them into society is essential for their long-term health.
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