10 February 2022

Summary As of 5 February 2022, the total number of COVID-19 vaccines delivered to Syria through the COVAX Facility is 8 352 740, in addition to 2 713 640 doses received through bilateral agreements. These allocations are enough to cover 38% of the population. In the near future, over 3.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be delivered through COVAX and will be sufficient to cover an additional 18.2% of the population.  In January 2021, the Ministry of Health received 151 200 doses of AstraZeneca/AZD1222 through COVAX donated by Japan, 1...

10 February 2022

9 February 2022, Damascus – In coordination with the national health authorities, WHO and partners continue to bridge vaccine inequity and increase vaccination rates in the Syrian Arab Republic, aiming for the 40% national COVID-19 vaccination target by April this year.   Although the total number of COVID-19 vaccines delivered to the Syria through the COVAX Facility and bilateral agreements were sufficient to cover 39% of the population as of 27 January 2022, the percentage of fully vaccinated Syrians remains as low as 5%. “At this critical time, all stakeholders should team up...

01 February 2022

DAMASCUS, 1 February 2022 – 3 996 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Syria on 26 of January, donated by Italy through the COVAX Facility.  In May last year, as chair of the G20, Italy hosted the Global Health Summit alongside the European Commission, which saw many European countries pledge to share millions of vaccine doses to priority countries like Syria, boosting short-term supplies.  The European Union (EU) and its Member States are so far the biggest donor of COVID-19 vaccines in the world, having shared...

24 January 2022

DAMASCUS, 23 January 2022 – Syria has recently received 151 200 doses of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Government of Japan through the COVAX Facility. The donation is part of the continuous efforts to protect people of Syria from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Government of Japan has provided approximately 150 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in Japan, through the COVAX Facility, to the people of Syria, as part of assistance by Japan to contribute to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in Syria. Japan will continue to provide various...

13 January 2022

13 January 2021 – The evaluation, commissioned by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, with support from the WHO Evaluation Office, assessed WHO’s emergency response in Syria due to the conflict from 2016 to 2020, including its strategy, interventions, operations, performance and results, as well as its engagement and coordination with partners toward these same ends. It included operations conducted through the main office in Damascus and sub-offices within Syria, cross-border operations from Gaziantep, previous cross-border work from Erbil and Amman, Whole of Syria Health Cluster coordination from Amman, and support...

23 December 2021

23 December 2021, Damascus – The EU is allocating an additional €1 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria to strengthen the COVID-19 response. The humanitarian funding will primarily be used to increase testing capacity and scale up vaccination across Syria. Health services in Syria are overstretched, the health workforce is working around the clock, and supplies and resources are depleting quickly to address the increased demands of the COVID-19 response. “WHO continues to provide critical support to respond to the prolonged fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria....

14 November 2021

Summary  On 5 November 2021 Syria received 1 356 000 doses of Sinovac through the COVAX Facility. The same round allocation of 358 800 doses of Sinovac were delivered to northwest on 3 September to increase availability of vaccines to respond to emerging needs of the population. After the first consignment received in April this year, this batch is the largest to arrive via COVAX and represents 66% of all COVAX deliveries. Vaccines will be administered as part of the ongoing national vaccination campaign across the country. Syria also received 115...

14 November 2021

14 November 2021 – This week, as key players in creating demand for vaccine, Syrian health care workers built their capacities and strengthened skills in managing vaccine hesitancy as part of the COVID-19 response.​ The interactive training organized by the Ministry of Health and WHO, in partnership with UNICEF, IFRC and SARC aims to identify and address issues that may affect vaccine uptake in the community – issues that include health workers’ personal concerns and beliefs about vaccination.  “Availability and accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines do not automatically guarantee an effective rollout and uptake...

02 November 2021

2 November 2021, Damascus – The latest data from Syria depict that people hospitalized with severe forms of COVID-19 and those who died from its consequences were unvaccinated. It is not surprising, as currently, only 6.2% of the population have received vaccination. If the vaccines in the projected pipeline will be delivered in the coming months, only 16% of the total population could be fully vaccinated by the end of 2021.  Tackling vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccine uptake by schoolteachers and administration, as well as helping children to adhere to preventive...

02 November 2021

Abd Abd, 7, lives in Dar Kabira, Syria and suffers from nocturnal enuresis. His mother took him to the paediatric clinic at the community centre where, upon examination, the physician found no physiological cause for the condition and referred the child to the psycho-social support team. Abd attended WHO-supported individual sessions together with his mother. He was engaged in a psychosocial programme while his mother was given guidance on ways in which she can help her son. Abd’s conditions gradually improved. Abd celebrates his small victories as he has finally overcome his...

10 October 2021

10 October 2021, Damascus – Prior to being displaced to Al Hol camp in north-east Syria, Batoul, 28, used to live in Al Bab city in rural Aleppo. She knows very well how the sudden loss of home and loved ones can affect mental health and well-being.  “I was around 27 when I developed a severe psychological condition. I could hear a lot of powerful voices inside my head, and I would have many suspicious thoughts. I suffered as I started mistrusting everyone and lived in constant fear. I went downhill very...

22 September 2021

Summary As of 19 September 2021, a total of 610,257 doses of COVAX and bilateral donations delivered vaccines were administered in government-controlled areas and northeast Syria; and 119,158 doses in northwest Syria.   A total number of vaccinated people in government-controlled areas and northeast Syria is 448,399 (of which 271, 276 are fully vaccinated and 177,123 received their first dose). In northwest Syria, 119,158 people were vaccinated (of which fully vaccinated are 20,953 and those who have received their first dose are 98,205). The Syrian Ministry of Health launched the nationwide vaccination campaign from 5...

22 September 2021

22 September 2021, Damascus – This week stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, Foreign Affairs, Education, Higher Education, Finance, Local Administration and Environment, Social Affairs and Labour, Water Resources, Agriculture, Defense, Interior, and Transportation will collectively assess the country’s capacity to address health threats and public health emergencies through a joint external evaluation (JEE) as part of the International Health Regulations (IHR)'s monitoring and evaluation framework. Syria adopted IHR in 2007 and committed to enhancing the national core capacity to prevent, detect, assess, notify and report events, and promptly and effectively...

22 September 2021

22 September 2021 – On World Patient Safety Day on 17 September WHO Syria partnered with the Ministry of Higher Education to Syria in lighting up the Damascus Maternal and Pediatrics hospitals in orange. Orange is landmark signature of the global campaign on the occasion of World Patient Safety Day which this year focused on safe maternal and newborn care.

30 August 2021

30 August 2021, Damascus – The conditions under which people are born, grow, live and age, as well as the forces and systems that shape the conditions of daily life, have an enormous impact on health outcomes. These non-medical factors are called the social determinants of health. They include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems, all of which greatly influence health inequities. Peace and conflict, income and social protection, job security, education, food security, housing, social inclusion, and access to affordable social services – all...

19 August 2021

Summary On 15 August 2021 Syria received the second batch of COVAX-facilitated AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines with support from Sweden, amounting to 174 720 doses, 79% of which will be administered by the national immunization programme in Government-controlled areas and northeast Syria, and approximately 21% in northwest Syria through Gaziantep.  This follows the allocation criteria used for the distribution of the first batch of COVAX AZ vaccines (256 800) The first dose vaccine campaign in northwest Syria started on 1 May 2021 and is still ongoing with 49 130 people covered so far,...

12 August 2021

12 August 2021, Damascus, Syria – WHO welcomes a new donation from the Kuwait Fund For Arab Economic Development to support health care for all people in need in Syria. This new contribution of US$ 3 million comes at a critical time as the health system faces shortages in resources due to sanctions and is overwhelmed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “Kuwait has been a long-standing partner to WHO in our work to save the lives of the Syrian people. We are grateful for this generous contribution that has come as...

12 August 2021

12 August 2021, Damascus, Syria – In response to ongoing conflict in Daraa, south Syria, WHO is working with the Ministry of Health and local health partners to respond to urgent health needs.  “Escalating conflict in Daraa has resulted in significant population movement and increased health needs among an already vulnerable population. WHO has delivered essential supplies and is working with partners to make sure that urgently needed health services are being provided to all those who need them,” said Dr Akjemal Magtymova, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Syria. On 2...

11 August 2021

11 August 2021 – More than 355 500 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Syria as of 9 August as part of ongoing efforts to protect priority groups and control virus transmission. This includes 55 500 doses administered in northwest Syria and 19 354 doses administered in northeast Syria. This coverage reflects less than 1% of the total population who have been vaccinated with one dose and 0.6% who are fully vaccinated, making Syria one of the countries with the lowest vaccine coverage globally. “In line with WHO recommendations,...

10 July 2021

10 July 2021, Damascus – On World No Tobacco Day in late May, the Syrian Ministry of Health in coordination with WHO organized an exhibition of paintings and sketches by children under the theme of “Tobacco Kills”. The exhibition was organized within the context of the WHO campaign “Commit to Quit” and complemented by performances by children of short plays and educational songs, and displays that highlight the shattering consequences of tobacco products, in all forms, on health. A workshop for tobacco control programme coordinators was held prior to the...

10 July 2021

8 July 2021, Damascus – One in 10 people in Syria live with a mild to moderate mental health condition. Prolonged exposure to conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to strain the mental well-being of families. In response, WHO Syria and local nongovernmental organizations in Rural Damascus recently launched the “My Hero Is You” campaign, which aims to reduce anxiety and fear associated with COVID-19 among children, and enhance the ability of parents to effectively talk to children about their well-being. The pilot campaign reached 5000 children and included messages...

09 July 2021

9 July 2021, Damascus – War and insecurity continue to take a toll on the Syrian people. In the decade since the conflict began, many have lost their lives or livelihoods and most of the country’s population suffers from one health condition or another, for which service provision is limited. Among those with dire health needs are children, born in a country ravaged by war and displacement.   Two-year old Sally weighed just 4 kilos when she was admitted to Al-HIkma Hospital in Al-Hasakeh governorate in northeast Syria. She was agitated, wheezing...

09 July 2021

9 July 2021, Damascus – Persons with physical disabilities face many challenges, but even more so in a war-ravaged country like Syria, where a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities is merely not an option. Often physical disability leads to hardship as opportunities for employment are limited. Hanano primary health care (PHC) centre in Aleppo is one of the very few centres in Syria that helps persons with disabilities to overcome the physical and psychological barriers to become more confident and empowered citizens. The centre collaborates with WHO, the United Nations...

06 July 2021

6 July 2021 – Syria received the first batch of vaccines supplied through the COVAX initiative on 21 April 2021. In total, 256 800 doses of AstraZeneca SII COVIDSHILD were received and distributed to Government-controlled areas and northeast Syria, as well as to northwest Syria.  The vaccination campaign in Syria started on 17 May 2021. Of total doses provided to Syria, 53 800 doses were delivered through Gaziantep for use in northwest Syria and 203 000 doses to Damascus for use in a national campaign implemented by the Ministry of Health across...

29 June 2021

29 June 2021 – 17 500 of the 203 000 COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered to Syria thus far through the COVAX Facility were sent to northeast Syria as part of the country’s national immunization programme. The vaccines were airlifted from Damascus to Quamishli. Around 13 320 doses were allocated for use in the governorate of Al-Hasakeh and 4180 for use in areas of the governorate of Deir-ez-Zor under the control of the Self-Administration. In addition to the COVAX consignment, 6200 vaccine doses were delivered overland to Ar-Raqqa governorate. As of 27 June, 11...

27 June 2021

27 June 2021, Damascus – More than 30 representatives from key Syrian national media outlets took part in an information session organized by the Syrian Ministry of Health and the WHO country office in Syria to address rumours and misinformation and increase public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.  “Fighting the pandemic and misinformation requires a whole-of-society approach and since the pandemic started, access to reliable, consistent, and accurate information has been critical. In addition to supporting national authorities to develop and disseminate public health messages, media professionals play an important role in...

15 June 2021

On 22 April 2021, Syria received the first batch of 256,800 doses of COVID-19 vaccines facilitated through COVAX. This vaccine delivery (AstraZeneca vaccines from the Serum Institute of India, AZ SII) will be distributed to frontline health workers across Syria, including the northeast and northwest. The COVID-19 vaccines were delivered through two shipments: 203,000 doses arrived in Damascus for all governorates and additional 53,800 doses were delivered through Gaziantep for the crossborder shipment to the northwest. Vaccine distribution and administration will start in early May 2021. (for more information, read...

10 May 2021

10 May 2021, Damascus – In responding to the humanitarian needs of affected populations and to enhance the quality of health care in Syria, the World Health Organization delivered 40 equipped ambulances to the Ministry of Health yesterday. Since the onset of the crisis, two thirds of the ambulances in Syria have been destroyed, which has impeded the ability of the emergency services to respond effectively, leading to a critical gap in referral services and causing affected populations to experience life-threatening delays in obtaining emergency health services. “The ambulances, which will...

22 April 2021

DAMASCUS, 22 April 2021 – 203 000 doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India arrived in Damascus today through the COVAX Facility. This first batch of the vaccines will be allocated to frontline health workers, including health workers in northeast Syria. Simultaneously, a separate batch of 53 800 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines for the high-risk populations in northwest Syria is also shipped through WHO and UNICEF offices in Gaziantep. Under the COVAX Facility, Syria is one of the 92 countries eligible for advance market distribution of...

18 April 2021

18 April 2021 - In Syria, approximately one in 10 people is expected to be living with a mild to moderate mental health condition, while 1 in 30 is likely to suffer from a more severe condition. Prolonged exposure to conflict increased the prevalence of mental health conditions. COVID-19 has added more strain to the mental wellbeing of families in Syria. In 2020 only, WHO provided over 220 thousand mental health consultations and services through integrated community-based services – either through mobile clinics or through family wellbeing centres across the...

11 April 2021

9 April 2021 - Amidst a decade-long conflict, economic crisis and political upheaval, WHO continues to support strengthening public health programmes and implementation of immunization activities, national polio vaccination campaigns and surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis. In the middle of March 2021, a national polio immunization campaign concluded, reaching 2.5 million children under the age of five in all 14 governorates of Syria, including high-risk areas of the eastern Euphrates, refugee and IDP camps, and nomadic areas. “Since Syria is close to countries that are at high risk of polio outbreaks, it...

08 April 2021

Reflection of Michael Atieh, WHO Syrian Arab Republic country office staff member 8 April 2021 - Children go running around playing with each other daily without a worry in mind. They play in the sand, dirt, mud and wherever else their imaginative young minds take them. However, consequences arise when improper sanitation is part of a child’s daily routine. Since these children are young and may not be attentive, they become the most likely victims of intestinal worms. These intestinal worms are transmitted by worm’s eggs present in human faeces, which...

07 April 2021

7 April 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated us all. However, the harshest impact has been on people already experiencing inequities because of poverty, gender, ethnicity, education, occupation, migrant status, disability, and discrimination. In conflict-hit Syria, people are disproportionately vulnerable to exposure to the disease in the context of fragile health systems, they lack access to health services and are heavily impacted by economic consequences of the pandemic. Access to COVID-19 vaccines to reduce ongoing transmission is yet another mammoth task for Syria.  COVID-19 is not the only health issue that...

29 March 2021

29 March 2021 – On 25 March 2021, the COVAX Facility informed that deliveries of doses from the Serum Institute of India (SII) to Syria, including northwest Syria, will be delayed in March and April, and that the closest delivery date may be in May 2021. Delays in securing supplies of SII-produced COVID-19 vaccine doses to Syria as well as to several other countries are due to the increased demand for COVID-19 vaccines in India. COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the ACT-Accelerator [1], an instrument jointly convened by the Coalition for Epidemic...

29 March 2021

24 March 2021 – A few months ago, I visited Damascus, Homs and Hama, witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of the decade-long conflict and the resulting humanitarian crisis, now worsened by COVID-19. While there, I met frontline workers who continue to brave dangerous working conditions to save lives. I spoke to parents desperate for a better future for their children. In Damascus, I visited a WHO-rehabilitated emergency wing of a hospital which treats hundreds of children daily, suffering burns, injuries and life-threatening infections. Nonetheless, I was struck by the resilience and positive spirit...

17 March 2021

1. Vaccination rollout in Syria Syria received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines (256,800 doses of AstraZeneca SII COVIDSHILD) on 21 April 2021, which were delivered as part of COVAX mechanism. 203 000 doses were allocated for Syrian governorates, including northeast Syria and 53 800 were allocated through Gaziantep to target populations in northwest Syria. In the first phase, the vaccines were allocated for frontline health workers as a priority group.   The online pre-registration platform in Government of Syria-controlled areas was launched on 5May 2021 with support of WHO. The platform...

16 March 2021

16 March 2021 – Exactly 10 years after the conflict in Syria began, new challenges have emerged, perpetuating the suffering of Syrian people already exhausted by the ongoing conflict, violence, political fragility, and the burden of unmet socioeconomic needs. COVID-19 and the regional economic crisis have brought further devastation to individuals and communities all over Syria. Given the fragility of the situation, the capacity of the health system is likely to fall short of a successful response to COVID-19 and global efforts to stop its transmission.  With over 90% of the population...

09 February 2021

9 February, Damascus, Syria – WHO Syria and the Government of Japan sealed a strategic agreement to rehabilitate and renovate the Al-Qamishli National Hospital in Al-Hassakeh Governorate of Syria. By signing the agreement, the Government of Japan has demonstrated its continuous commitment to reviving the Syrian health system fatigued by the decade-long crisis. The generous US$ 6 million grant will assist in renewing the 40-year-old infrastructure of the hospital, while revamping secondary health care services at a hospital that serves as the main referral centre for many areas in north-east Syria. Once the hospital is renovated, health workers and doctors with...

09 February 2021

27 January 2021 – The raging war in Syria has taken its toll on the country, its citizens and infrastructure.  During the decade-long crisis a lot of health facilities endured destruction. According to the WHO Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS) for September 2020, about 51% of Syria’s hospitals as well as 52% of public health centres were either completely out-of-service or partially functional. Consequently, vulnerable communities were deprived of their fundamental right to have access to quality health care. As a lead agency advocating for health for all...

24 January 2021

22 December 2020, Damascus, Syria – Dr Akjemal Magtymova, WHO Representative in Syria, along with Dr Ahmad Khleifawi, Syrian Deputy Minister of Health, chaired a meeting for national and international health sector partners to review the findings of the recent Intra-Action Review (IAR) meeting, improve the current strategies and strengthen the collective response to COVID-19.   Earlier in December 2020, WHO and the Ministry of Health organized a multisectoral IAR meeting to identify best practices, gaps and challenges in addressing the COVID-19 emergency in Syria. The 3-day meeting provided a unique platform to discuss major COVID-19 response pillars and established a base for strengthening...

08 November 2020

8 November 2020 – I recently returned from a 4-day mission to Syria, where I met with officials at all levels, health workers, partners, academia, and others to learn more about the overall health situation, find new ways of working together to strengthen service delivery, protect Syrians from current threats, and help strengthen the devastated health system. I met frontline health workers and patients in Damascus, Homs and Hama, including 6-year-old Jaafar, who depends on dialysis sessions 3 times a week at a WHO-supported NGO-run health care centre in Homs to...

25 October 2020

24 October 2020, Damascus, Syria – A chartered aircraft has landed in Damascus International Airport from the WHO's logistics hub in Dubai, carrying WHO supplies to support the health response in Syria. The 8.8-ton shipment includes medical kits and medicines for almost 2000 beneficiaries and enough personal protective equipment to protect more than 4000 health care workers. “Health care workers are the backbone of any health system, and protecting them is protection for us all,” said Dr Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, who handed over the supplies...

14 October 2020

14 October 2020, Syrian Arab Republic – Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, movement restrictions and lockdowns can have as much of a negative impact on people as the virus transmission itself. Patients needing mental health services are most affected, especially those struggling to access treatment at a health care facility. In Syria, 75% of people with mental health conditions receive no treatment at all, and the current pandemic is further aggravating the situation. “There is no health without mental health. We live in an environment where mental health needs are greater than...

28 August 2020

Damascus: August 27, 2020 – WHO confirmed today the first COVID-19 case among residents in Syria’s Al Hol camp. The female patient is 29 years old and in stable condition. She is being treated in an isolation area in Phase 7 of the camp, where a national NGO, in partnership with WHO, is providing case management support. Health workers have already begun contact tracing and will be monitoring all close contacts for COVID-19 symptoms. WHO is collaborating with camp authorities and partners to engage communities, reinforcing messages about measures that they...

30 June 2020

Within the context of the Brussels conference on Syria, WHO emphasizes that health is a human right that must be respected by all parties to the conflict, that attacks on health workers and facilities must stop, and that there must be adequate investments in the health sector 30 June 2020 – As the crisis in Syria enters its tenth year, WHO calls on parties to the conflict and the international donor community to put the health and well-being of the Syrian people first. Sustained access via all modalities and sufficient resources...

29 June 2020

More than 210 000 children under the age of 5 across Syria catch up on their vaccines Damascus, 29 June 2020 – With an aim to maintain vital routine immunization services amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a national immunization campaign supported by WHO and UNICEF has concluded across Syria. During the 5-day campaign, implemented by the Syrian Ministry of Health, health workers checked the vaccination status of more than 900 000 children and vaccinated more than 210 100 children to ensure they are caught up with the routine immunization schedule. Over 1000...

01 June 2020

1 June 2020 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered 20 tons of medical supplies to Al-Qamishli in northeast Syria, the second delivery of its kind in 2 weeks. The supplies will be distributed to public health facilities in Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and Deir-Ez-Zor governorates. The 2 shipments contain equipment and medical supplies to treat many diseases, including COVID-19. The delivery also included basic and mobile X-ray machines, intensive care beds and hospital beds, operating tables, incubators, oxygen concentrator, cholera kits, wheelchairs and a diesel generator. “During the last 2 weeks, WHO delivered...

07 May 2020

7 May 2020 – WHO welcomes Dr Akjemal Magtymova as incoming WHO Representative to the Syrian Arab Republic. Dr Magtymova joins WHO Syria at a critical time, with multiple public health threats threatening the well-being of millions of Syrians. An outbreak of COVID-19 in the country has placed additional pressure on a health system ravaged by years of war. “I am delighted to join the WHO Syria team to support its mission. What we do is noble, and I have no doubt that it is driven by this team’s passion to...

19 April 2020

19 April 2020 - Generous funding from the Government of Norway during the last 4 years has enabled WHO to reach more than 1.4 million beneficiaries in Syria and improve their access to primary health care services through 40 nongovernmental organization partners. From 2016 to 2019, Norway provided flexible funding to WHO Syria totalling more than US$ 34 million. Of this, nearly US$ 2.7 million was directed to national NGOs operating within the health sector, allowing WHO to scale up its interventions across the country and access hard-to-reach areas. “Norway has been...

02 April 2020

2 April 2020 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with the Syrian Ministry of Health to enhance Syria’s preparedness and response to COVID-19.  WHO’s support focuses on 4 main priorities: enhancing surveillance and expanding laboratory testing for early detection of cases; protecting health care workers by providing them with protective equipment; ensuring proper case management, isolation and contact tracing; and raising awareness and conducting risk communication. “WHO classifies Syria as among the high-risk countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as a result of challenges in the health system resulting from over 9 years...

09 March 2020

Every 4 days in 2019, a health facility in Syria was attacked. A majority occurred in the northwest, where the world‘s most urgent humanitarian crisis continues to unfold. March 2020, Geneva/Copenhagen/Cairo – The World Health Organization condemns in the strongest terms, attacks on health care that have been a hallmark of the complex humanitarian crisis in Syria that this month enters its tenth year. “The data we can now reveal on attacks on health in Syria is a grim testament to a blatant disrespect for international humanitarian law and the lives...

05 March 2020

5 March 2020, Damascus - The World Health Organization (WHO) categorically refutes the misinformation circulating on social media that has been falsely accredited to WHO related to COVID-19 in Syria. As per a statement by the Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean published on Tuesday 3 March, 2020, "1682 cases of Covid-19 disease in 14 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as of 2 March, at 6 pm local time in the city of Cairo, including 66 reported deaths in Islamic Republic of Iran.” Syria is not among these 14 countries. WHO...

28 February 2020

WHO provides more than 225 000 courses of treatment to internally displaced Syrians in Idlib and Aleppo 28 February 2020, Geneva/Copenhagen/Cairo – In a two-day operation the World Health Organization sent 55 tons of medicine and medical supplies in 7 trucks from Turkey into Idlib governorate and parts of Aleppo. Since December 2019 the area has witnessed the largest exodus of internally displaced Syrians in the 9-year history of the Syria conflict. “This is the bleakest situation we’ve been in since the war started. Peoplehave no idea where to go, they only...

17 February 2020

17 February 2020 – WHO handed over 6 equipped ambulances to the Ministries of Health and Higher Education thanks to a generous donation from the Government of Japan. These ambulances are a vital boost to WHO’s efforts to support emergency and ambulance services with a view to improving the health outcomes of internally displaced people and local communities in south and northwest Syria, especially mothers and children, through reducing avoidable morbidity and mortality. In addition to the ambulances and as part of this same initiative, the Japanese Government is also providing 2 mobile...

10 February 2020

10 February 2020 – WHO welcomes the generous support from the Government of Japan to conducted training courses for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Higher Education engineers through the “ Training for All – (T4A)” project on acquiring the know-how in installing and maintaining lifesaving and state of-the-art medical equipment at health facilities inside Syria. “Equipping health facilities with the right technology while building the teams’ technical skills will undoubtedly have a sustainable impact on the quality of medical services provision for years to come” said Dr Nima Abid, acting WHO Representative in Syria....

03 February 2020

3 February 2020, Geneva-Cairo-Copenhagen – The World Health Organization raises alarm over critical health threats facing hundreds of thousands of Syrians forced to flee due to intensified hostilities in northwest Syria and attacks on health care. Fighting in Idleb governorate, the last area in the country under opposition-control, has intensified in recent weeks and past days have seen unprecedented mass displacement. Since 1 December more than half a million people or nearly 520 000, are thought to have fled the violence. On average, WHO and its partners reach 800 000 people in northwest Syria every month – but the situation on...

21 January 2020

21 January 2020 – WHO welcomes a new contribution of $3 million from the Russian Federation to support the provision of health care services for vulnerable people in the Syrian governorates of Dar'a, Deir-ez-Zor, Homs and Qunitera. “We are extremely grateful for Russia’s generous contribution which has come as a major step towards reviving the availability of health care services to all people in need,” said Dr Nima Abid, acting WHO Representative in Syria. "Restoring the provision of health care services is a key building block for encouraging the return of displaced...

17 December 2019

17 December 2019, Damascus, Syria – In the crowded reception area of the Disability and Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Damascus, 13-year old Ali from Ar-Raqqa governorate waits for his name to be called. His father Jaseem waits patiently with him, optimistic that his son will receive the best possible treatment. Ali was injured during a bombardment of his area of Ein Issa city in north-east Syria two years ago while helping his father in their small shop. Shrapnel hit his leg and he was rushed to hospital, where doctors had...

08 December 2019

8 December 2019, Damascus — On the occasion of World AIDS Day (1 December) and under the slogan ”My health needs under one roof; integrating HIV health services,” WHO, in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Health, called for more concerted action to prevent HIV and highlighted global obligations to provide people living with HIV the life-saving treatment they need in a manner that respects their dignity and human rights.

14 October 2019

13 October, Cairo, Egypt — WHO is gravely concerned about the humanitarian health situation in northeast Syria, where up to 200,000 people have been displaced as a result of increased military operations since 9 October, and almost 1.5 million people are in need of health aid. Many of those affected by the recent hostilities have already experienced immense physical and mental stress as a result of years of conflict and repeated displacement. People in need of essential health care services face challenges related to insecurity and limited access to health care....

22 September 2019

22 September 2019 –The World Health Organization (WHO) has serious concerns over recent reporting of an increase in the number of child deaths in Al Hol camp. Such reporting has provided an inaccurate analysis on under-5 mortality, misrepresented some of the data, and overstated the gravity of the health situation in the camp. While health needs in both the Annex – which houses foreign nationals - and the rest of the camp remain acute, overall mortality rates have been within international standards since April 2019; under-5 mortality rates have remained...

12 September 2019

12 September 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) extends its gratitude to the People of Japan for the generous donation of US$ 5.2 million allocated to equipping the paediatric hospital in the Aleppo governorate and enabling vulnerable families in north, north-west and north-east Syria to have access to proper medical health care services for children. This donation is part of the new Japanese project for the early recovery of East Aleppo, to be implemented  in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and WHO with a...

20 August 2019

20 August 2019 – 32-year-old Bayan is the head nurse at Al-Hikmah hospital in Al-Hasakeh governorate. She has spent the past 8 years in critical care, looking after emergency, trauma and intensive care patients. “Nursing is immensely fulfilling”, she says. “People are admitted in a critical condition, and you nurse them back to health. You accompany them on their journey: you rejoice with them when they make progress, you encourage them when there are setbacks, and you let them express their fears and frustrations. Not all of them do so...

14 July 2019

14 July 2019 – When Elizabeth Hoff was appointed as WHO Representative in Syria in 2012, she didn’t expect that she would spend the next several years leading the emergency health response in what has been described as the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian emergency. After seven years of working in the war-ravaged country, the next chapter of her career will take her to Libya, where she has been nominated WHO Representative. “I leave Syria with a heavy heart,” she says. “This has been the richest and most rewarding position...

01 July 2019

1 July 2019 – WHO has successfully evacuated a 60-year-old female patient with a mental disorder from Al Hol camp in north-east Syria to a WHO-supported psychiatric hospital in Aleppo.

17 June 2019

17 June 2019, Damascus, Syria – With support from WHO, a team of senior medical specialists from the Bambino Gesú hospital in Rome (the largest paediatric hospital in Italy) has just concluded a one-week visit to Syria to work with their counterparts in the Paediatric Hospital in Damascus. The team has made several visits to Syria as part of a collaborative programme to build the capacity of the Paediatric Hospital in Damascus. WHO supports the hospital with state-of-the-art equipment and supplies, while specialists from Bambino Gesú provide supportive supervision and practical...

05 May 2019

5 April 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly condemns the consecutive reported attacks on 3 health facilities in north-west Syria on 28 and 30 April. The attacks resulted in damage to infrastructure, putting them out of service. Of the 3 facilities attacked, 2 were hospitals located in northern Hama providing life-saving medical services to thousands of vulnerable populations affected by increased hostilities over the past weeks. The first hospital hit, in the early hours of 28 April, offered general surgery, maternal and child care services to approximately 8000 beneficiaries...

22 April 2019

22 April 2019, Damascus, Syria ‒ Over the next 6 days, the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Health and UNICEF, will conduct a series of national immunization days to immunize children under the age of 5 against vaccine-preventable diseases, including tuberculosis, pertussis, diphtheria, polio, tetanus, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenza, measles, mumps and rubella. WHO aims to vaccinate approximately 2.8 million children under the age of 5 in 13 governorates in Syria. The campaign will focus on reaching almost 250 000 children who were not vaccinated...

27 March 2019

27 March 2019, Damascus, Syria ‒ 35-year-old Kawthar is one of the tens of thousands of Syrians who fled intense fighting in Afrin city, north-west Syria last year. She and her family now live in a camp for displaced persons in northern rural Aleppo. In late 2018, a team from the World Health Organization visited the camp to screen people suspected of having tuberculosis (TB). Kawthar was one of several people confirmed as having the disease.   Kawthar was pregnant when she was first diagnosed. She refused to take her medicines...

21 March 2019

21 March 2019 – Baby Aynaa was only three months old when she and her mother fled from conflict-torn Deir-ez-Zor to Al-Hol camp in the neighbouring governorate of Al-Hasakeh. They endured a week-long journey in freezing temperatures and driving rain, with little food or water to sustain them. By the time she reached the safety of the camp, Aynaa was severely malnourished and close to death. Her weight had plummeted to 2.7 kgs and she was comatose.

06 March 2019

6 March 2019 - Um Hassan, from rural Aleppo, was collecting truffles in the countryside to sell in local markets. At the end of a long day of backbreaking work in harsh winter conditions, she and her children climbed into a crowded lorry to begin their journey home. Half-way through their trip, the lorry drove over an unexploded mine. Um Hassan’s 10-year old daughter Lolo was killed instantly and two of her other children were seriously injured.

31 January 2019

31 January 2019, Damascus, Syria – The World Health Organization is extremely concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Al-Hol camp in Al-Hasakeh governorate, and calls on all parties to the conflict to provide unhindered humanitarian access to people in need of life-saving aid. Over the last 2 months, approximately 23 000 people, mainly women and children fleeing hostilities in rural areas of neighbouring Deir-ez-Zor, have arrived in the camp. Many of them have walked or travelled in open trucks for several days and nights in the bitterly cold winter weather....

30 January 2019

30 January 2019, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic – 14-year-old Khaled lives with his mother and 3 brothers in eastern Ghouta, Rural Damascus. His father died 5 years ago, leaving his family with very little. Following his father’s death, Khaled and his family lived through some of the darkest days of the conflict. The situation was even more distressing for Khaled, who suffers from congenital hearing loss. When his hearing aid broke 5 years ago, his mother could not afford the cost of a replacement. Khaled has lived in a world...

23 January 2019

23 January 2019 – Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) airlifted more than 28 tonnes of medical supplies, equipment and vaccines to Al-Hasakeh governorate to respond to growing health needs in north-east Syria. This is the second shipment the Organization has airlifted to Al-Hasakeh this month. A first shipment of 20 tonnes of medical supplies was airlifted to the governorate on 8 January 2019.

21 January 2019

21 January, 2019, Damascus, Syria – The Government of Kuwait has contributed more than US$ 3.8 million to WHO’s emergency and humanitarian operations in Syria. WHO will use the contribution to procure essential medicines and medical equipment for hospitals and health facilities throughout the country, focusing on facilities that provide treatment to children suffering from cancer. Many Syrian families with seriously ill children travel long distances to reach the Al-Bairouni hospital in Rural Damascus and the paediatric hospital in Damascus, currently the only 2 public hospitals that have specialized cancer care...

17 January 2019

17 January 2019, Damascus, Syria – The World Health Organization expresses severe concern about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Rukban settlement close to the border with Jordan, and calls for immediate access to the settlement to assess the health situation, provide essential medicines and medical supplies, and support the medical evacuation of critically ill patients. Approximately 40 000 people, mostly women and children, remain stranded in the settlement and are unable to leave, and harsh winter conditions have reportedly led to several deaths. Health care facilities are barely functioning and have...

10 January 2019

10 January 2019. Today, using a generous contribution from the Government of Japan, WHO handed over 16 ambulances to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). The ambulances will help improve referral and emergency services in critically underserved governorates. The donation comes at a crucial moment. The demand for health care services has continued to grow as more areas in the country become accessible. Moreover, thousands of people are returning to their homes to find that basic health care and referral services have been badly disrupted. The ambulances will allow the SARC to...

08 January 2019

8 January 2019 — WHO has airlifted 20 tons of medical supplies and equipment to Al-Qamishli in Al-Hasakeh governorate. WHO staff in Al-Qamishli are distributing the supplies to health partners in the north-eastern governorates of Al-Hasakeh, Deir-ez-Zor and Ar-Raqqa. The supplies, including antibiotics, anaesthetics, surgical supplies, IV fluids, trauma kits and medicines to treat noncommunicable diseases and common illnesses, are sufficient for 110 000 medical treatments. The shipment also included electrocardiography and haemodialysis machines, ventilators and incubators.

08 January 2019

Baghdad 8 January 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) extends its gratitude to the US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) for the generous contribution of US$ 2.5 million to support the health security of Syrian refugees living in Iraq. Iraq continued to host Syrian refugees throughout 2018. It is estimated that 250,000 Syrian refugees are currently residing in the three governorates of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) - Erbil, Dahuk, and Sulaymaniyah. The majority (64%) live with the host communities. “There is an urgent need...

27 December 2018

27 December 2018 – A generous donation from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) has enabled WHO to support medical teams in southern Syria. The teams provide primary health care services to thousands of people in the south who fled their homes in late June 2018 following an acute escalation of the conflict.

19 December 2018

19 December 2018 – A generous donation of US$ 1 000 000 from the State of Kuwait has brought a glimmer of hope to cancer patients in Syria at a time when public health services have been badly disrupted.

02 December 2018

2 December 2018 – The polio outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) detected in 2017 in Syria has been successfully stopped, with no international spread, according to experts. An official outbreak response assessment, comprising experts in global public health, virology and epidemiology, reviewed all available surveillance and immunization evidence from the past 18 months, and conducted first-hand field visits to the affected areas, including the epicentre of the outbreak, Deir Ez-Zor. The group concluded that the outbreak could now be closed.

29 November 2018

29 November 2018 – At around midnight on 24 November 2018, WHO received unconfirmed reports of patients arriving in health facilities in Aleppo with symptoms that might be consistent with exposure to chemical agents. At approximately the same time, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security office in Syria reported unconfirmed information that the Al-Zahraa, Al-Khaldiyyeh and Nile Street areas of Aleppo city had been shelled with rounds of mortar fire that included an unknown type of gas. According to unconfirmed reports, dozens of patients were being admitted to...

01 November 2018

1 November 2018 – Fifty-five year old Um Mohammad from Ar-Raqqa governorate in the Syrian Arab Republic was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. There are no public hospitals in the governorate that can provide the treatment she needs, so she has to travel every 2 weeks to a national hospital in the neighbouring governorate of Hama for chemotherapy. The journey takes 8 hours each way. A tearful Um Mohammad said that the constant travel, on top of her illness, has left her exhausted. “I have been travelling to Hama...

25 October 2018

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,...

11 October 2018

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-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...

26 September 2018

26 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

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. 

03 September 2018

3 September 2018, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the generous donation from the Government of Japan which has enabled WHO to procure advanced medical equipment. The equipment, worth over US$ 12 million, is the largest donation received by WHO in Syria. It includes magnetic resonance imaging scanners, ultrasound machines, echocardiography equipment, X-ray machines, respirators and other items. WHO in Syria will distribute the equipment to public and university hospitals throughout the country.  

19 August 2018

19 August 2018 – 8 years into the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, attacks on health care facilities and personnel in the country continue to rise despite United Nations resolutions strongly condemning these attacks. In the first 6 months of 2018, there were 126 separate attacks on health care in Syria – more than for the whole of 2017. Syria now accounts for a staggering 70% of all attacks on health care facilities documented by WHO worldwide.

17 August 2018

20 August 2018 – As the conflict in northwest Syria escalates, WHO is appealing for US$ 11 million to provide life-saving health care to people in parts of Aleppo, Hama, Idleb and Lattakia governorates. Hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have been previously displaced, may be displaced yet again as they flee growing insecurity and violence. The situation in Idleb is particularly dire; more than half a million people have been displaced to and within the governorate since January 2017.

15 August 2018

Amman, 15 August 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the provision of life-saving health care services for more than 900 000 conflict-affected people in southern Syria. Since mid-June 2018, WHO has delivered 61 tons of supplies – enough for more than 312 000 treatments – to the Directorates of Health in Dar’a and Quneitra, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and As Sweida National Hospital. The supplies include surgical, trauma and burn kits, chronic disease medicines and insulin. WHO is also supporting the only functioning blood bank in areas...

24 July 2018

25 July 2018 – Childirth is often filled with uncertainty, especially for women living in conflict-affected or insecure environments. WHO has launched a new programme to help Syrian mothers during their pregnancy and after birth to manage this life-changing event.  The “caring for the newborn at home” initiative guides all mothers on the steps they and their families can take to ensure their newborn children have a healthy start in life.  Under the new programme, WHO-trained community health workers will make home visits to help mothers during pregnancy and after childbirth. To begin...

12 July 2018

12 July, 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today called for the protection of health facilities and increased access to southern Syria, where the recent hostilities have left over 210 000 people displaced and in need of urgent health services. Up to 160 000 displaced Syrians currently seeking safety in Quneitra are inaccessible to health partners, raising concerns for their health. “People in Dar’a and Quneitra are waiting for the humanitarian community to reach them with urgently needed aid and we cannot let them down. Access must be granted,” said Dr...

05 July 2018

7 July 2018 – On 1 July 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered over 17 tons of life-saving medicines and medical equipment to the newly accessible city of Douma in eastern Ghouta in Rural Damascus. The WHO supplies, dispatched as part of an inter-agency humanitarian convoy, are sufficient for more than 26 000 treatments for ill and wounded patients, and will be distributed to health care facilities supported by the Directorate of Health and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. They include essential and chronic disease medicines, nutritional supplements, trauma and burn...

29 June 2018

28 June 2018, Amman, Jordan -- Opposition-controlled areas in southern Syria are witnessing a dramatic increase in violence that has led to high levels of insecurity and the displacement of tens of thousands of people. Over 80% of the estimated 525 000 people living in these areas are expected to need humanitarian assistance as a result of the fighting. This includes up to 50 000 people who have displaced over the past two weeks. On 27 June, WHO’s office in Damascus dispatched over 27 tons of medical supplies to respond to...

14 June 2018

14 June, 2018, Damascus, Syria –  With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Al Moadamya primary health care centre in rural Damascus, Syria, has reopened after extensive rehabilitation made possible by a generous donation from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).    The centre serves more than 3800 people in the area, including almost 1800 people displaced from other parts of Rural Damascus. Services provided by its 19-strong team of doctors, nurses and midwives include vaccinations, maternal, newborn and child health, mental health, trauma care, nutrition, and treatment...

11 April 2018

11 April 2018 – WHO is deeply alarmed by reports of the suspected use of toxic chemicals in Douma city, East Ghouta. According to reports from Health Cluster partners, during the shelling of Douma on Saturday, an estimated 500 patients presented to health facilities exhibiting signs and symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals. In particular, there were signs of severe irritation of mucous membranes, respiratory failure and disruption to central nervous systems of those exposed. More than 70 people sheltering in basements have reportedly died, with 43 of those deaths...

05 April 2018

Damascus, 5 April 2018 – The Government of Japan has committed a total of US$ 5 million in new assistance to the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen primary health care for vulnerable populations in northern Syria, and to improve secondary and tertiary care for children from across the country, including those who come from East Ghouta. US$ 3.5 million of this package will be used to equip and rehabilitate the Emergency Department of the Damascus Paediatric Hospital, a key health institution providing vital support to critically ill children. Essential medical...

04 April 2018

Damascus, 4 April 2018 – Marking the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are calling for concerted international action in response to the devastating health consequences of explosive hazards in Syria. More than 8 million people are exposed to explosive hazards in Syria, including over 3 million children.  In 2017, at least 910 children were killed and 361 children were maimed in Syria, including by explosive remnants of war and victim-activated improvised explosive devices. In the first 2 months of...

21 March 2018

21 March 2018, Damascus – The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the delivery of critical health care for Syrians fleeing the escalating violence in besieged East Ghouta. WHO has activated an emergency operations centre that works around the clock to assist the tens of thousands of Syrians from East Ghouta who have taken refuge in collective shelters in Rural Damascus.

12 March 2018

12 March 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are supporting a nationwide polio vaccination campaign in the Syrian Arab Republic that aims to vaccinate more than 2.4 million children under 5 years of age in 13 governorates. The campaign, which is being managed by the Ministry of Health, was launched on 11 March and will last for 5 days.

08 March 2018

8 March 2018 – Twelve-year-old Fatima Hamidi lives with her 5 sisters and 7 brothers in the city of Aleppo. Over the past few years, her family’s life has been upended by uncertainty and fear. The conflict finally abated last year, and life began returning to normal. But just as Fatima was finishing the school year and getting ready for the summer holiday, her arms and legs became weak. She found it difficult to play with her friends. Eventually, she was unable to move.  After weeks of tests, doctors diagnosed her...

01 March 2018

1 March 2018 – Nour and his family fled their home in a besieged area last year, arriving in Damascus with almost nothing, after living through a terrifying ordeal. Nour lost his father and had stopped speaking. Now 11, Nour lost his hearing when he was an infant, but his family were unable to get him assistance until recently. Last year he received a hearing aid from the Tamayoz Social Care Association, a nongovernmental organization supported in part by the World Health Organization (WHO). "Now he can talk, express his feelings, and call...

28 February 2018

28 February 2018 – WHO has participated in an inter-agency mission to assess health needs in Al-Mouaddamiyeh (Rural Damascus). This area, which recently became accessible following years of siege, is home to over a hundred thousand people. According to the local mayor, the numbers are likely to increase given the new-found stability in the city.   The assessment team, which included representatives of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, found that years of conflict had taken a toll on the city. Its main primary health care (PHC) centre had been damaged and its water...

07 February 2018

7 February 2018 -  The World Health Organization (WHO) dispatched 14 tons of life-saving medicines, anesthetics, antibiotics, emergency medical kits and other treatments to Deir-ez-Zor governorate this week to urgently respond to the critical health needs of people in north-east Syria. The shipment contains more than 303 000 treatments for ill and wounded children, women and men.    Many Syrians who have recently returned to Deir-ez-Zor have found that their homes have been damaged or destroyed, and that health care facilities in the area are closed or are only partially functioning....

06 February 2018

6 February, 2018- The World Health Organization (WHO) has airlifted 17 tons of medical supplies to Al-Hasakeh governorate, Syrian Arab Republic, as part of its continued efforts to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) and critically ill patients in north-east Syria.  The airlift contains enough supplies to treat at least 380 000 people, including those wounded as a result of the ongoing conflict.   The provision of these critically-needed medical supplies is part of WHO’s commitment to boosting the health system in north-east Syria by donating life-saving...

05 February 2018

5 February 2018 – Thirteen-year old Hamad from rural Hama, Syrian Arab Republic, is being treated for leukaemia at the Children’s Hospital in Damascus. On Sunday 4 February, he met Elizabeth Hoff, the WHO Representative in Syria, when she visited the hospital on the occasion of World Cancer Day. He and the other children in the ward received a gift package that included a school bag, colouring book and other items. “Thank you for the bag, I will use it when I go back to school”, said Hamad. “I want to...

31 January 2018

WHO ramps up health support to camps in northeastern Syria in response to huge population movements 31 January 2018 – Sitting on the uneven floor of his small white tent in a displacement camp in northeastern Syria, Nasser Ali Mousa can find only one way to describe what his family went through in Raqqa during years of ISIL occupation and in the fierce battle to dislodge the group from the city. “It was hell,” he says. He looks at his grandson, Ra’ad, playing with a cherub-faced friend from the tent next-door. Ra’ad is wearing...