27 January 2026, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic: Syria is taking a significant step forward in addressing substance use as a public health priority, following a high-level inter-ministerial meeting hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chaired by Dr Musaab Alali, Minister of Health, convened in Damascus with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Senior representatives from the Ministries of Health, Interior, Social Affairs and Labour, and Foreign Affairs, together with WHO and UNODC, following the inter-ministerial meeting in Damascus on advancing a nationally led, public health approach to substance use in Syria. Photo: WHO
The meeting brought together senior representatives from the Ministries of Health, Interior, Social Affairs and Labour, and Foreign Affairs, reflecting growing momentum for a whole-of-government approach to substance use. Discussions focused on how ministries connect in practice, from prevention and community engagement to health services, referral pathways, workforce capacity, data and monitoring, and coordination, under a shared national framework led by Syrian institutions.
At the centre of the dialogue was Syria’s National Strategy on Substance Use (2026–2030), which provides a unified framework for action across four pillars: governance and policy; health services and treatment; prevention and harm reduction; and information, monitoring and research. The strategy positions substance use first and foremost as a public health and social issue, while enabling collaboration across sectors in ways that protect dignity and human rights.
Deputy Minister of Health Dr Hussein Al-Khatib described substance use as one of the country’s most sensitive health and social challenges, stressing that effective responses require long-term, coordinated solutions rather than fragmented interventions. He was speaking at a joint WHO-UNODC-Ministry of Health press conference, held at the Ministry’s premises at the end of the inter-ministerial roundtable.
The inter-ministerial exchange emphasized the importance of clear governance, shared accountability and phased implementation, with early priorities including integration into primary health care, strengthening the health workforce, improving referral and follow-up, expanding prevention and community-based engagement, and reinforcing data and monitoring systems to guide policy and delivery.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy, who participated in the meeting as part of a joint WHO-UNODC mission to Syria, highlighted that substance use is not solely a law enforcement issue, but a public health challenge with wide-reaching consequences.
“Addressing substance use requires coordinated public health action grounded in prevention, treatment and care delivered with dignity and without stigma,” Dr Balkhy said. “Syria’s national strategy provides a strong foundation for translating policy into services people can access.”
UNODC Regional Representative Ms Cristina Albertin emphasized the importance of sustained, evidence-based and multisectoral action rooted in national leadership.
“Syria’s nationally led roadmap provides a solid foundation for coordinated action,” Ms Albertin said. “Addressing substance use requires integrated solutions that tackle both demand and supply, while placing the health and welfare of people at the centre. UNODC remains committed to supporting sustainable, long-term responses that strengthen prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and community-based services, in line with human rights.”
WHO, UNODC, the Ministry of Health, health officials, partners and health workers stand together inside the Darayya health centre during the opening of the “Wellbeing Gateway” (بوابة التعافي) clinic. Photo: WHO
The inter-ministerial meeting took place alongside concrete progress on the ground. On 20 January, the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with WHO, inaugurated the Darayya “Wellbeing Gateway” (بوابة التعافي) at Darayya Health Centre. The clinic brings substance use services into primary health care, offering screening, psychosocial support, referral and follow-up in a non-stigmatizing, community-based setting.
Darayya is one of uch clinics being established across Syria under Ministry of Health leadership and aligned with the national strategy, reflecting a shift toward early access, continuity of care and services that feel safe and accessible to communities.
Together, the national strategy, inter-ministerial coordination and expansion of integrated services signal growing momentum for a Syrian-led, public-health-driven response to substance use that protects health and dignity and supports practical implementation across government.
