Good morning,
20 December 2024 - I’m speaking to you from Damascus at a moment of profound significance in Syria’s history. The resilience of the Syrian people is on full display, as is their hope for the future. Over the past 12 days or so, I’ve witnessed both the joy of reunions and returns, as well as the concerns about the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
In the midst of these challenges, WHO remains steadfast—not just in delivering life-saving aid and ensuring healthcare reaches those who need it most, but also in helping Syrians rebuild their lives and recover from years of crisis.
Just yesterday, WHO teams were in Idlib, visiting hospitals that have become lifelines during the recent escalation of conflict. They met with dedicated surgeons who have worked tirelessly, often under attack, to save lives. One surgeon shared with us the words of a patient who walked through their doors: “We finally sleep at night, no longer worrying about being bombarded.”
Our team also met Ahmed, a 64-year-old man who relies on kidney dialysis. Over the past decade, he has been displaced multiple times and has faced enormous uncertainty to access his treatment. Thanks to Bab Al-Hawa Hospital in Idlib, which is supported by WHO, Ahmed has been able to maintain his care. Yet, the funding for this essential service will run out in three months. Ahmed is deeply hopeful, not just for himself but for all Syrians, dreaming of a future where no one has to endure the uncertainty he has lived through.
It is this fragile hope that keeps them going, even as they endure tremendous hardships—sleeping in tents through the bitter cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer. In these conditions, displaced populations, especially those living in camps or informal settlements, are extremely vulnerable. Overcrowded living conditions, food insecurity, and inadequate sanitation are perfect breeding grounds for nutritional deficiencies, respiratory infections and other communicable diseases such as diarrheal disease, as well as lice and scabies, which can lead to long-term health complications.
Many people the team met in Idlib have returned to visit their homes since December 8th, only to find them reduced to rubble. These individuals, displaced multiple times or having returned from Lebanon and Turkey, need support to rebuild their lives. Rebuilding homes is just one part of the solution; they also need access to healthcare and essential services to feel secure and to lay the foundations for recovery.
And in a nation reeling from over a decade of conflict and displacement, mental health and psychosocial services are not just critical—they are lifesaving for families. Our team met Fatima whose two daughters, aged 6 and 10 years, have suffered from sleepless nights, recurring nightmares, and anxiety. Over the past three weeks, they have benefited from psychosocial support services, giving them a sense of stability and hope. But this support must continue.
The reality is, even in this historic moment, the humanitarian need remain immense and immediate.
Syria is grappling with one of the largest displacement crises in the world, with 7.4 million people internally displaced before this recent escalation. Over 880,000 have been displaced since then. Among them, 6% are individuals with disabilities who face severe barriers to accessing care.
The health infrastructure is severely strained. In just three weeks, 36 attacks on healthcare have been reported and over half of the country’s hospitals are non-functional.
WHO has launched an appeal to raise $56.4 million to meet these urgent needs over the next six months. This funding will sustain critical health services during this transitional period – including 141 health facilities in northwest Syria at risk of closure in the coming weeks – and support Syria’s long road to recovery.
WHO is doing everything possible to bridge this gap. Our teams are:
Facilitating access to healthcare for displaced populations and returnees through referrals to functional facilities and mobile clinics providing basic care, vaccinations, and maternal health services.
Integrating mental health support into healthcare facilities, particularly for those affected by trauma.
Coordinating referrals between non-functional and operational health facilities and ensuring the safe transportation of patients to specialized hospitals for critical care.
But we cannot do this alone.
The resilience of the Syrian people is inspiring, but without immediate international support, their hopes for a peaceful and healthy future are at risk.
Everyone my team and I speak to here is hopeful—hopeful for their children, for their homes, and a Syria rebuilt on peace and solidarity. We must help them realize this dream.
We call on the international community to act now—your swift action can save lives, restore hope, and help rebuild a nation yearning for stability and peace.
Thank you.
