24 October, 2018 – A generous donation from the Government of Japan has allowed WHO to launch a one-year project to rehabilitate selected health care facilities in Syria. Currently, more than half the country’s hospitals and health care centres are closed or only partially functioning. This latest contribution from Japan will help improve access to health care services for Syrians in critical geographic locations, especially those with high numbers of internally displaced people.

In addition to supporting the restoration of health care facilities, WHO will use the funds to deliver medicines and supplies, train health care workers and support key health partners such as the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC).

Mr Khaled Hboubati, SARC President, said, “We profoundly thank the Japanese Government and the World Health Organization for this donation. It will contribute to enhancing SARC health care services throughout Syria.” Mr Hboubati went on to say that the funds would cover several critical health areas. “We will dedicate this donation to enhancing our network of fixed and mobile health facilities, developing our prosthetics capacities and physiotherapy services, and training health care workers.”

11 October 2018, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic – Thanks to a generous contribution from the Government of Japan, WHO has supported the rehabilitation of two primary health care centres in east and northwest Aleppo. The two health centres were heavily affected by intensified fighting and were forced to close in 2013, depriving thousands of local residents of basic health care services.

The Khaled Ben Al-Walid Health Centre in Al-Khaldiya district in northwest Aleppo after being rehabilitated with WHO support through a donation from the Government of Japan.The Khaled Ben Al-Walid Health Centre in Al-Khalidiya district in northwest Aleppo and Al-Ma’asaraniyeh Health Centre in Al-Ma’asaraniyeh district in east Aleppo are reopening at a crucial time. People who fled east Aleppo at the height of the conflict are currently returning to their homes, and the demand for health care is steadily increasing.

The Director of Health in Aleppo explaining to the WHO's Representative in Syria the successful rehabilitation process of the Centre26 September 2018, Syria – The only tuberculosis (TB) control centre in Aleppo governorate is ready to open its doors again. Damages sustained during the conflict in 2016 forced the centre to close, leaving more than one thousand tuberculosis patients without access to life-saving treatment. Extensive renovations, made possible by a generous donation from the Government of Japan, have allowed the centre to reopen its doors to TB patients in Aleppo and other parts of northern Syria.

14 September 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday airlifted 21 tons of essential medical supplies and vaccines to Al-Hasakeh governorate in north-east Syria. This is the fourth time this year that the Organization has delivered emergency health supplies to the governorate.