A health worker at Al-Birr Association health centre in Hama engages a young child in early stimulation activities as part of integrated mental health and psychosocial support services. Photo: WHO

31 May 2025, Syrian Arab Republic – At 69, Kamal Qassis has learned to adapt. A former schoolteacher, he has lived through years of conflict, repeated displacement, and the mounting cost of daily survival in Syria. “I’ve lost a lot but I’m still here,” he says quietly, seated at the Al-Birr Association health centre in Hama.

Once unable to afford the medication he needed for high blood pressure and a weak heart, Kamal now receives regular checkups and treatment through the centre – support he says has helped him regain a sense of control over his health. “The doctors know me. They take care of me, and I feel stronger now.”

Like Kamal, thousands across Syria are navigating a fragile health system strained by 14 years of crisis and instability. Public health facilities remain overstretched and underfunded, with over half of them either non-functional or only partially functional. The economic uncertainties and funding cuts have only deepened these challenges, threatening the continuity of care for millions.

Yet amidst these pressures, primary health care centres like Al-Birr – supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) with funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) – continue to deliver vital services to those who need them most.

Kamal Qassis, 69, speaks with health workers during a follow-up visit at the Al-Birr Association health centre in Hama. Photo: WHO

Om Bakri, 65, brings her husband to Al-Birr for his heart medication and treatment. “We’ve been coming here for years,” she says. After losing her son and daughter-in-law in the conflict, she now raises her grandchildren alone. “This clinic makes it possible for me to take care of my family.”

So far in 2025, with support from ECHO, WHO helped the Al-Birr Association reach more than 48,000 people with health services – including outpatient consultations, mental health care, nutrition support, and 92 surgical procedures ranging from general to neurological.

“These services are often the only option people have,” says a doctor at the centre. “Without them, many would simply go without care.”

As Syria enters a pivotal phase of transition after years of conflict, the Ministry of Health has outlined key priorities to strengthen essential services, support health workers, and rehabilitate damaged infrastructure. WHO is working closely with the Ministry and health partners to help advance these efforts, ensuring continued access to care while supporting longer-term recovery of the health system.

Om Bakri, 65, has her blood pressure checked at the Al-Birr Association health centre in Hama, where she brings her husband for regular treatment. Photo: WHO

With support from donors like ECHO, centres like Al-Birr continue to play an important role — meeting urgent health needs today, while contributing to the foundation for a stronger and more inclusive system tomorrow.

The entrance of Al-Ashara Primary Health Centre in rural Deir ez-Zor, where emergency services have been supported. Photo: WHO

30 May 2025, Syrian Arab Republic – In rural areas of Deir ez-Zor, access to timely medical care has long been a challenge. For families living in rural towns like Mahkan and Al-Ashara, reaching the nearest hospital can take hours – a delay that can turn minor injuries into life-threatening emergencies.

But with WHO’s support, that gap has begun to close.

Expanding emergency health services in Mahkan and Al-Ashara

In coordination with the Deir ez-Zor Directorate of Health and local implementing partner Syria Pulse Association, WHO supported the activation of 2 fully equipped emergency units at Mahkan and Al-Ashara primary health centres.

Each centre operated with a trained team – including a doctor, nurse, paramedic, driver and support staff – and was equipped with an ambulance, essential medicines and emergency supplies. The centres were also linked to referral hospitals in Deir ez-Zor City and Al-Ashara City, ensuring that patients in need of advanced care could be transported safely and quickly.

Dr. Hadi Abdul Rahman Al-Sheikh examines 9-month-old Bayan Al-Darfil at Mahkan Public Health Centre in Deir ez-Zor. Photo: WHO

Stabilizing a critically ill infant in Mahkan

When 9-month-old Bayan Al-Darfil was brought to Mahkan Primary Health Centre by her father, she was in critical condition. Bayan had been vomiting for hours and was found to have food poisoning and a rapid heart rate of 180 beats per minute.

The emergency team administered IV fluids and medication and then transported her using the project-supported ambulance to Al-Ashara National Hospital where she received further care until her condition stabilized.

Bayan’s father later said, “Thank you for the care you gave my daughter. We appreciate the medical team and the quality of services at the centre.”

Treating burn injuries and building caregiver confidence

At Al-Ashara Primary Health Centre, 3-year-old Bisan Sabouh Al-Saleh arrived with second-degree burns on her left leg after a household accident involving boiling water.

She was treated immediately. “Cleaning, dressing, pain relief and daily follow-up were provided by the emergency team,” her file notes. “Her mother was educated on how to continue care at home. The child is still under supervision and improving steadily.”

Responding to conflict-related trauma with urgent care

At Al-Ashara Public Health Centre, a 20-year-old man arrived at midnight with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. After a clinical examination, the emergency physician determined that the injury was isolated – with no vascular, neurological, or bone damage.

“The entry and exit points of the bullet were cleaned and sterilized. The wound was sutured and the patient was given antibiotics,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Marzouk, the attending physician. “The patient’s condition improved and stabilized after treatment and he was discharged in good condition.”

Extending access through telemedicine and health education

To improve access to care in remote and underserved communities, Syria Pulse Association also operated a telemedicine and remote health education service from a static point in Deir ez-Zor city’s Al Kousour neighbourhood.

A team of general practitioners and rotating specialists, including internal medicine doctors and gynaecologists, work in 2 daily shifts, providing telemedicine consultations from 9:00 to 21:00, and 6 trained health educators deliver remote risk communication and community engagement messages, sharing vital information on primary health care, disease prevention and how to seek care.

These services helped reach families who could not afford transportation or lived too far from functioning health centres, ensuring they still received timely medical advice and follow-up support.

Saving lives and reducing pressure on families

In addition to on-site emergency care, families also benefitted from safe referrals, home-care guidance and access to remote services.

This emergency health response was made possible thanks to the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) – a multi-donor funding mechanism managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

For the people of Deir ez-Zor, access to emergency care is no longer out of reach. Whether it’s a burn, a bullet wound, or a sick child – these services have helped communities respond faster, recover sooner and reduce the burden on families.

A WHO staff member collects a water sample for testing in Al-Hol camp to help ensure safe drinking water for displaced families. Photo: WHO

21 May 2025, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic – With cholera cases resurging across parts of Syria in late 2024 and rising outbreak risks as warm weather returns to the country, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a 6-month emergency health and WASH response to protect more than 850 000 people at highest risk in Aleppo, Lattakia, Al-Hasakeh and Damascus.

Between August and December 2024, Syria reported 1444 suspected cholera cases and 7 associated deaths, with the highest caseloads in Lattakia, Al-Hasakeh and Aleppo and displacement sites such as Al-Hol camp. The outbreak is linked to ongoing drought, population movement and repeated disruptions to water and sanitation systems.

WHO’s response combines targeted health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions, focusing on early detection, case investigation, cholera diagnostics and the deployment of rapid response teams to high-risk areas. The response also includes risk communication, infection prevention and control, and sustained water quality monitoring. Water purification tablets and testing kits will be distributed to reduce the risk of transmission from unsafe sources.

“This response is designed to catch outbreaks early, isolate risks quickly and help communities protect themselves,” said Acting WHO Representative in Syria Christina Bethke. “We are strengthening surveillance through the Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWARS), expanding lab capacity to confirm cholera cases faster and supporting health workers and volunteers to respond in real time. In parallel, we’re enhancing water safety testing in camps and communities, equipping teams with purification tools and delivering key health messages to reduce exposure risks.”

The intervention, which supports national efforts to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response, together with public health recovery, is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, water authorities and local authorities. Activities include refresher training for laboratory staff, improved inter-ministerial coordination and localized action in more than 40 informal settlements and displacement sites.

This response has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) a multi-donor mechanism managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that enables rapid, flexible funding for frontline health and humanitarian partners based on local needs.

Media contact:

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7 May 2025, Syrian Arab Republic – The Centre of Strategic Studies and Health Training (CSHT) and the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the WHO Country Office in Syria, convened a workshop on 28 April 2025 in Damascus to identify Syria’s public health research priorities. The event aimed to strengthen Syria’s health research agenda by aligning it with current public health needs.

The workshop, technically and financially supported by WHO, brought together public health experts, researchers, policy-makers and representatives from national institutions to participate in a structured research prioritization exercise. The process focused on four key areas: health systems; communicable diseases; noncommunicable diseases and universal health coverage. Participants reviewed and discussed an extensive list of research topics identified through earlier consultations and assessed each of them based on public health relevance and technical and operational feasibility.

“This workshop marks a significant milestone in strengthening Syria’s national health research agenda,” said Acting WHO Representative in Syria Ms Christina Bethke. “By identifying research priorities that are both feasible and impactful, Syria is taking an important step towards ensuring that evidence guides decision-making and supports equitable and people-centered health policies. WHO remains committed to supporting national partners in translating these priorities into action.”

The process followed WHO recommended methodology, including group discussions and individual scoring, for setting health research priorities in each focus area, ensuring that the approach was inclusive, evidence-informed and tailored to the Syrian context.

Moving forward, WHO will continue to promote the uptake of research and support the integration of findings into national health planning frameworks.