Christina Bethke, Acting WHO Representative in Syria
25 July 2025
Thank you, and good morning. I’m speaking to you from Damascus, Syria.
The recent escalation in As-Sweida has displaced over 145,000 people. Many have had to leave their homes with nothing, taking shelter in makeshift reception centres in Dara’a, Rural Damascus and Damascus.
Our teams visited several of these sites in rural Damascus just yesterday and will be heading to Dara’a on Sunday. What we’ve seen – and heard – is a powerful reminder of the stakes: parents searching for medicine for their children, elderly people in need of urgent care, and health workers doing their best under extraordinary pressure.
WHO-supported mobile medical teams have been deployed to displacement areas, providing urgent outpatient consultations, maternal and child health services, mental health support, and essential medicines. These efforts, coordinated with the Ministry of Health and local authorities, have already reached thousands of people from rural Sweida and other affected communities.
Inside Sweida, health facilities are under immense strain. Health personnel are working under extremely difficult conditions, and access to care remains a challenge.
Hospitals are facing shortages of staff, electricity and water, and essential supplies. The city’s main hospital has been overwhelmed – at one point this week, its morgue reached capacity.
Five reported attacks on healthcare have been confirmed by WHO. These include the killing of two doctors, obstruction and targeting of ambulances, and hospitals being temporarily occupied or otherwise affected. These incidents are deeply concerning.
Health care must never be a target. In fact. health facilities, patients and health workers must be actvely protected. Ensuring that doctors, nurses, and supplies can reach people safely isn’t just vital for saving lives – it is a responsibility under international law that all sides must uphold.
Access to Sweida remains limited and inconsistent. WHO still managed to deliver critical supplies to health facilities in Dara’a and Rural Damascus – including trauma supplies, essential medicines and support to hospitals across both governorates – The first humanitarian convoy entered Sweida on Sunday, followed by a second on Wednesday. The shipment was coordinated closely with the Ministry of Health, the Department of Health, and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
Continuous and unimpeded humanitarian access is essential to sustain the health response, including timely medical referrals and the uninterrupted delivery of critical care.
WHO is working with national stakeholders to develop a trauma referral pathway, which means the safe and timely transport of the wounded from frontline areas to hospitals.
Syria is at a crossroads – facing multiple crises, but also a real opportunity to rebuild. Keeping humanitarian health services running is not just critical for today’s emergencies – it is the bridge to recovery.
Thank you.
Further information
Functionality of health care: Prior to the escalation, 3 public hospitals, 5 PHC centres, and 5 specialty centres in As-Sweida were fully functioning. 1 hospital and 75 PHC centres were partially functional; these have now suspended operations due to insecurity. Over 2,300 healthcare workers – including 434 doctors, 1,737 nurses, and 184 midwives – are currently unable to access their workplaces due to ongoing insecurity, verified attacks on healthcare, and road closures across affected areas.
Partners: The Syrian Arab Red Crescent plays a critical role in medical evacuations, having responded to over 300 emergency cases including the transport of injured patients from temporary health points in Izra’ sub-district to hospitals in Dar’a and Damascus.
Supplies: A WHO shipment from the Supplies and Logistics Hub in Dubai arrived at WHO’s central warehouse on 24 July. It includes emergency medical supplies, essential medicines, and health supplies to support urgent care, outpatient services, and the health needs of displaced people and those seeking treatment at hospitals
Further risks/issues: In early July, wildfires in northern rural Latakia severely affected around 60 communities – damaging homes, displacing families, and compounding existing vulnerabilities. At the same time, explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a serious threat. As an example, on 24 July, an explosion in northern Idlib reportedly resulted in several casualties, including deaths.