Despite significant gains in expanding immunization coverage and a corresponding decrease in the number of cases, the immunization coverage rate for measles – the most infectious of all the vaccine-preventable illnesses – remained too low (88%). Achieving at least 95% vaccination coverage in children across geographical regions is required to eliminate the threat of this highly contagious disease. Syria also remained at risk of new circulating vaccine-derived polio outbreaks due to the continuing hostilities, the potential collapse of the vaccination network in northwest Syria and the risk of polio cases imported from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tuberculosis (TB) – one of the top ten causes of mortality worldwide – remains a significant threat to human life among the most vulnerable in Syria. Over the course of a year, a person with active TB can infect up to 10-15 other people, so case finding and contact tracing are crucial. Adhering to often lengthy treatment regimens is essential to avoid developing drug-resistant forms of TB that are much harder to eradicate. However, tackling the disease in Syria remains challenging: the country has very limited capacity to conduct active case finding and there are widespread shortages of medicines and specialized TB services. When patients’ treatments are interrupted because of displacement or because their TB centres are disrupted by conflict and forced to suspend services or close, their risk of developing multi-drug resistant TB is much higher. These patients require attention and resources that are rarely available in complex emergencies. Without proper treatment, up to two thirds of people with active TB will die.