Doctors rush to Sednaya prison outside Damascus to help freed prisoners
Syrian doctors are rushing to help prisoners freed from Syria's Sednaya prison outside of Damascus.
Doctor Mustafa Mahmoud, who spoke to Middle East Eye, said the biggest concern is that prisoners will be severely malnourished and face a condition called "refeeding syndrome".
Syrian doctor Karim Aljaiz echoed Mahmoud’s concerns and explained that refeeding syndrome could lead to these prisoners dying.
The condition occurs when a malnourished person begins eating again, causing a sudden shift in electrolytes and fluids that can lead to dangerous complications such as heart failure, seizures, or respiratory issues. This happens because the body, after prolonged fasting or starvation, struggles to handle the rapid influx of nutrients, particularly carbohydrates, which trigger a surge in insulin and depletion of critical electrolytes like phosphate, potassium, and magnesium.
Aljaiz fears the families of prisoners will not be aware of this syndrome and inadvertently kill them by feeding them too much food after their release.