Photo caption: WHO staff following up with beneficiaries at one of the WHO-supported health centers in rural Aleppo, Syria. Photo credit: @WHO Syria.
13 November 2024, – In collaboration with the Syrian Ministry of Health (MoH) and partners, WHO has mobilized healthcare services to address the urgent needs of over 510,000 displaced individuals who have crossed from Lebanon into Syria since September 24, 2024. With needs increasing daily and basic services under strain, WHO’s coordinated health interventions support both displaced individuals and host communities, at border crossings, community centers, and shelters, particularly in underserved rural areas.
WHO leads and coordinates the health response to ensure access to essential health services and to mitigate risk of disease outbreaks among new arrivals and host communities. Services include primary healthcare, disease surveillance, mental health and psychosocial support (MPHSS), and water quality monitoring. Mobile medical teams provide integrated clinical care, including nutrition, routine immunization and Psychological First Aid on-site. Additionally, 24/7 mental health hotlines in Aleppo and Damascus, coupled with WHO outreach teams, offer specialize support to the most vulnerable, including survivors of gender-based violence.
To strengthen disease surveillance, WHO supports the MoH’s Early Warning, Alert, and Response System (EWARS) with operational resources and rapid response teams. EWARS data collection and response activities are being bolstered through WHO-supported field assistants, particularly in high-risk areas like Aleppo, Lattakia, Tartous, Homs, and Rural Damascus.
Children under 5, including new arrivals, are benefiting from expanded immunization services – most recently during the third round of the Big Catch-Up activity from 13 to 17 October. More than 10,000 children displaced from Lebanon were screened. WHO also provided vitamin A supplements to over 750,000 children and extended vaccinations to hosting centers through community outreach.
“Syria is facing a crisis within a crisis. The number of people in need is growing daily while the country’s capacity to absorb additional pressures is increasingly strained at time when the humanitarian response is critically underfunded. Guided by our commitment to leaving no one behind, WHO is supporting health partners, including the Ministry of Health, to deliver lifesaving health services to those most vulnerable need,” said Christina Bethke, WHO Representative, a.i. to Syria.
In addition to clinical care, WHO is conducting nutrition screenings at hosting centers and host communities, monitoring water quality for safe drinking water, and disseminating health messages to prevent waterborne and respiratory diseases. In October, WHO dispatched over 118 tons of essential medical supplies to support displaced populations and local health facilities. Oxygen concentrators and assistive devices were distributed in Homs, along with 100 First Aid Kits to the MoH across various governorates.
The generosity and flexibility of WHO’s existing humanitarian donors has enabled the response to date. Over the next six months, WHO will need an additional US$17.2 million to sustain these efforts and calls upon international donors to support the response, ensuring that lifesaving care reaches vulnerable populations and strengthens Syria’s long-term healthcare resilience.
