16 March 2023 – Every day, 10-year-old Fatima leaves the tent she now calls home to meet with the doctors at Harim General Hospital. She is undergoing therapy to recover from the injuries she was left with after surviving nearly 24 hours under the rubble of her collapsed home.  Like most families, Fatima slept soundly in the dawn hours of 6...

15 March 2023 – Even before the earthquake, the humanitarian crisis in Syria had been steadily worsening since 2011. Ravaged by over a decade of ongoing conflict that has led to major socioeconomic decline, huge population displacement, the erosion of a once-solid health system, COVID-19, and the spread of transmissible diseases, such as cholera and...

With a nearly US$ 1 million donation from the Government of Japan, WHO has been able to restore Nawa Hospital in south Syria’s populous Dara’a Governorate. The generous donation came as part of the Government of Japan’s continuous efforts to support the rebuilding of the health care sector in Syria and enhance access to health services for all...

25 January, 2023, Damascus, Syria – On 19 January, a team of technical polio professionals from the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Ministry of Health of Syria concluded a 3-day joint mission on polio transition planning. The team conducted various meetings with national counterparts, United Nations...

H.E. PhDr. Eva Filipi, Ambassador Extraordinary, and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to the Syrian Arab Republic and Dr  Iman Shankiti, a.i WHO Representative in Syria 16 January 2022 – The Government of the Czech Republic has contributed a generous donation of US$ 150 000 to boost WHO’s efforts in combating the cholera outbreak in Syria. ...

Damascus, 29 November 2022  – Trucks carrying two million doses of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) arrived in Damascus, Syria, today. Since the outbreak was declared on 10 September, tens of thousands of suspected acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases have been reported in all governorates. “Both adults and children are at risk of contracting the...

Dr Iman Shankiti, a.i. WHO Representative in Syria, Massimiliano D’Antuono, Chargé D’Affaires of the Italian Embassy in Damascus and Alessandra Piermattei, AICS Director for Lebanon and Syria26 October 2022, Damascus – Lending a humanitarian hand to protect the lives of the people of Syria, the Government of Italy has generously donated € 500 000...

12 October 2022, Damascus – With support from WHO, UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Ministry of Health in Syria has launched a polio, measles and rubella vaccination campaign across the country. The 10-day campaign, which began on 9 October 2022, aims to vaccinate 2.4 million children under the age of 5 in all Syrian governates,...

Saber, a 9-year-old boy from Deir-ez-Zor governorate is the only son of a vulnerable family that was forced to leave its village in search of security and shelter.Damascus, 6 October 2022 – The need for humanitarian aid in northeast Syria  is constantly growing due to ongoing hostilities that continue to claim fatalities every day, as well as...

Responding to the cholera outbreak in Syria, WHO delivered a 60-tonne shipment of cholera kits, oral rehydration solutions, rapid diagnostic tests, and medical supplies for intravenous (IV) rehydration treatment, in addition to chlorine for water purification4 October 2022, Damascus – Funding from Norway has enabled WHO to immediately respond to...