Lana sits safely in her father’s arms after recovering from meningitis in Aleppo. Photo credit: WHO26 August 2025, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic – Three-year-old Lana has never known life outside of conflict. Born in northern Aleppo after her family fled violence, she has grown up in a crowded displacement camp where families share tents, clean water is scarce, and the risk of disease is high.

Her father still remembers the night her fever spiked.

“We were terrified and worried about her. At first, we thought it was just a simple illness and tried to give her home remedies. When she didn’t improve, we took her to a nearby hospital,” he recalls.

There, doctors diagnosed Lana with meningitis – a dangerous infection that can be fatal without urgent treatment. She was admitted immediately and placed under close observation. For 14 days, she received intensive care, including medication to control her fever and rehydration to strengthen her fragile body.

“The team was very cooperative; they answered all our questions regarding the treatment and even gave us clear instructions on how to prevent such cases in the future,” her father says.

Lana recovered. She left the hospital holding her father’s hand, ready to return to her tent in the camp, her life no longer under immediate threat.

Building stronger protection against disease

A technician prepares samples for testing at an EWARN laboratory supported by WHO. Photo: WHOLana’s recovery is part of wider efforts to strengthen health services in Syria’s displacement camps and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. With generous funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), WHO and health partners have been supporting Syria’s disease early warning system (known as the Early Warning, Alert and Response Network, or EWARN) – a network of health facilities and laboratories that tracks illnesses, verifies alerts and helps stop outbreaks before they spread.

“Our role doesn’t stop at treatment – we visit families every week to look for missed illness cases and make sure children like Lana are not overlooked,” explains a health worker with the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), one of the health partners WHO works closely with on the early warning system.

“In just 2 months this year, almost every sentinel health facility in Idlib and Aleppo reported regularly on common illnesses such as diarrhoea, measles and meningitis. Our teams were able to verify alerts within a day and make nearly 200 visits to health centres to support staff. This vigilance means suspected outbreaks can be caught early and families are better protected,” says Rosa Crestani, Team Lead for the WHO Field Presence Office in Gaziantep, Türkiye.

During this period, health workers tested 90 samples from people showing symptoms of serious illness. Nine measles cases and several influenza cases were confirmed quickly, allowing measures to be taken before the diseases could spread further. In most cases, results reached doctors within 2 days, giving them crucial time to protect vulnerable communities. 

A healthier future within reach

A technician carries samples for analysis at an EWARN laboratory supported by WHO. Photo credit: WHOBy supporting Syria’s disease early warning system, the project ensures that suspected cases like Lana’s can be detected, referred and treated before they spiral into outbreaks. In parallel, health teams supported under the project visit camps regularly to identify early warning signs, making sure vulnerable families do not slip through the cracks.

This lifeline will continue. Thanks to renewed ECHO funding, support for the early warning system in Idlib and Aleppo will run until the end of 2025, helping Syria to maintain vital surveillance and response capacity during a critical period of transition to a national integrated disease surveillance and response system.

As Syria takes steps towards recovery after 14 years of crisis, stories like Lana’s show the importance of investing in disease surveillance and early response. Each child who regains their health is a reminder that a more resilient, healthier future for Syrian families is within reach.

*Name changed

Two health workers walk through Al-Burj camp in Idlib, going tent to tent to ensure children are protected through routine vaccination. Photo: WHO

28 August 2025, Idlib, Syrian Arab Republic – Two women walk through Al-Burj camp in Idlib, one of many places where displaced families are trying to rebuild their lives. Despite the hardship, mobile vaccination teams move quietly from tent to tent, working to protect children’s health.

Against the uncertainty of displacement, a quiet force of hope arrives carrying coolers, knocking on doors, and reassuring anxious parents. These are the vaccination teams of Al-Sham Paediatric Speciality Hospital.

Amer, a vaccination supervisor, lifts a loudspeaker to announce the team’s arrival. “It’s not just about giving vaccines,” he says. “It’s about building trust, raising awareness, and making sure no child is left behind.” 

Amer announces the arrival of vaccination teams in Idlib. Photo: WHO

Amer oversees 2 teams – one based at the hospital and a mobile team covering the wide stretch between Batbu and Sarmada Hospital in Al Dana sub-district, Idlib. “Our work goes beyond giving vaccines,” he explains. “We remind families that a vaccine doesn’t just protect one child – it protects whole communities.”

In a small preparation room, each vial packed into cooler boxes is a promise of protection. Thanks to sustained support, Amer says the teams are now able to reach nearly every child, even in the most remote locations.

A health worker prepares vaccines before heading out to reach displaced families in Idlib. Photo: WHO

“Our digital tracking system has been crucial. It allows us to follow up with families who missed appointments, and support those who lost their vaccine cards. We track each child’s doses to make sure no one is left behind.”

For many parents, trust was not immediate. “Some parents were afraid because of things they read online,” Amer recalls. “But with repeated visits and honest conversations, people came to understand. Now, they even call us if a dose is delayed. The community trusts us.”

A mobile vaccination team arrives at a community in Idlib to immunise children. Photo: WHO

That trust is echoed by Jameel, a father of 15 who fled Homs with his family in 2015. “Some of my children missed their vaccines while we were on the move,” he says. “But once we settled in this camp, the team made sure they were all protected. I tell every parent; this is your child’s right.”

Inside their makeshift shelters, children receive drops of oral vaccine. Calmly, Jameel’s son rests on his lap as the health worker leans in to immunize him. 

Jameel, displaced from Homs and now living in Idlib, holds his son after ensuring all his children received their vaccines. Photo: WHO

These services are part of a joint effort involving the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO and health partners, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Gates Foundation. In Idlib and Aleppo, more than 80 immunization centres and outreach teams are operating with this collective support. As Syria enters a new phase of recovery, these locally led efforts mark an important step towards a more integrated and nationally supported health system.

Amer closes with a message of optimism. “Every child we reach, every dose we give, is a step towards a healthier future. Continued support doesn’t just sustain a programme – it protects childhood itself.”

A health worker administers oral vaccine drops to Jameel’s child inside his family's temporary shelter. Photo: WHO

*names changed

Four-month-old Walid Al-Ahmad smiles after receiving treatment at the Paediatric Clinic in Kurin Health Centre, Idlib. Photo credit: WHO27 August 2025, Idlib, Syrian Arab Republic – Four-month-old Walid Al-Ahmad was struggling to breathe when his mother brought him to the Paediatric Clinic at Kurin Health Centre. He was coughing, feverish and would wheeze while breastfeeding. 

“We provided nasal serum to clear his airways, gave nebuliser sessions and prescribed paracetamol to ease his fever and pain,” says Dr Khalid Al-Rashwani, who treated Walid. “We also explained to his mother how to care for him at home and avoid smoke and odours that could worsen his breathing.” 

Thanks to this timely intervention, Walid recovered without needing hospital care. His story reflects the daily reality for families in rural Idlib where respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, malnutrition and skin conditions are among the most common illnesses children face. Earlier this year, when bronchiolitis cases rose sharply, the Paediatric Clinic was able to manage mild to moderate patients locally, referring the most severe to hospitals when beds were available. 

Managed by the Syrian American Medical Society, the Clinic provides care to children from 10 surrounding villages. In a recent reporting period, more than 6400 children were treated. An average of 50 children are seen each day, many from families who cannot afford the high cost of private care or travel to distant hospitals. 

“The clinic provides reliable paediatric services at no cost to families,” says Dr Khalid. “Without it, many would have no access to medical care for their children.” 

Expanding access to care

Dr Khalid Al-Rashwani examines Walid Al-Ahmad at Kurin Health Centre in Idlib. Photo credit: WHOThrough the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), WHO supports 4 health facilities – including Kurin Health Centre – and 3 ambulances in Idlib and Aleppo. These services are critical in a country where just 57% of hospitals and 37% of primary health care centres are fully functional and more than 15.8 million people need health assistance. 

CERF support enables WHO and its partners to deliver medicines and emergency health kits to facilities across Syria. Nineteen mobile medical teams bring consultations, referrals and follow-up care to underserved areas from Aleppo to Deir-ez-Zor. Mental health and psychosocial support is being expanded through key referral hospitals such as Azaz and Ibn Khaldun, reaching people affected by displacement and trauma. 

“WHO and CERF support has greatly eased the burden on families,” says Dr Khalid. “It allows us to provide free consultations and medicines and reduces the need for families to travel to central hospitals.” 

Looking ahead

As Syria works towards a unified national health system and long-term recovery, ensuring health services continue without interruption is critical. For Walid, and for thousands of other children across Idlib, the Kurin Clinic brings the possibility of a healthier future closer to home.