FOR THE WEEKLY CALISTOGAN
Little Omar (Omi) is only 4 months old, was born with Down syndrome, and has struggled with medical conditions.
On the morning of Tuesday, May 5, his mother, Judy Gonzalez Hernandez, drove him to the hospital in fear of dehydration after he had a bout of vomiting and not wanting to feed. Once they reached the hospital, Little Omi then went into cardiac arrest and ended up in critical condition fighting for his life.
He was then transported by helicopter to the Oakland Children s Hospital, and after many restless nights, doctors were able to save his life. Little Omi suffered a tremendous amount of brain damage that has also affected his vision and mobility and will remain in the hospital for many weeks to come.Â
Introduction
The Syrian conflict has entered its tenth year, with a devastating humanitarian and economic toll: the death of 384,000-593,000 people as of December 2020; the forced displacement of an estimated 13.5 million people, almost half of whom are displaced internally, struggling to survive; economic loss of $428 billion from 2011 to 2018 (six times the GDP in 2010); depreciation of the Syrian lira (now 13 times less valuable than before the conflict); high unemployment; the destruction of physical property, including homes, infrastructure, hospitals, schools; and the reality of 90% of the population living below the poverty line. Yet the war has also resulted in significant environmental destruction â a form of damage that receives less attention but represents major potential harm with long-term negative consequences on public health, the economy, and peace itself, and which must be central to any post-conflict relief or reconstruction effort.