Photo caption: Emad Shehab actively engaging with community members during a cholera awareness campaign in Al-Ashara, Deir-ez-Zor Governorate, Syria, 2023. Photo credit: @WHO
19 August 2024, Damascus, Syria – Emad Shehab, killed after a building collapsed following an airstrike in his hometown Deir-ez-Zor, was a public health emergency specialist and engineer whose expertise and dedication served as an inspiration to everyone who worked with him.
"Emad was a dedicated professional whose commitment greatly impacted our response in Syria. We deeply feel his loss, and his legacy continues to inspire our work. We are committed to carrying on the vital work he championed and honouring his memory,” said Dr Iman Shankiti, WHO Representative a.i in Syria.
Emad started working at WHO in 2022 as a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) focal point in Deir-ez-Zor. His expertise led to critical improvements in WASH conditions at health facilities where he spearheaded vital water quality monitoring efforts and addressed significant public health hazards. Imad’s leadership in installing solid waste treatment units at Al Assad Hospital and Al-Hamidiya Health Centre was crucial in mitigating epidemic risks, making significant contributions to public health and environmental safety in challenging circumstances.
"Emad was a loving and caring husband and father of two children, Jad, 4, and Sham, 9. Even now Jad asks me 'when will Dad come back from his trip? I miss him so much,' and I don't know how to reply," says Imad's widow Om Jad.
"My daughter Sham had a special relationship with her father. She watched him prepare blueprints for projects and she started to draw sketches of his work. He always supported and guided her. Now that he has passed away, she wants to be like her dad when she grows up so he can be proud of her."
Emad earned a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from Aleppo University in 2004. Before joining WHO, he gained extensive experience in engineering and project management, working with FAO, WFP, UNICEF and several NGOs on the construction and rehabilitation of water stations and sanitation facilities.
Emad showed unwavering devotion to his work and his family. His exemplary approach to humanitarian work and human relationships left a lasting impact on everyone he encountered, whether acquaintances or strangers. As Imad’s dedication and compassion continue to inspire us, we will honour his memory by carrying forward the vital work he was so passionate about. His loss is deeply felt by all of us who were fortunate enough to know him.
