The Northwestern Syria (NWS) region is home to 14.9 million people in need of healthcare, with approximately 3.97 million requiring health assistance according to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2024. In addition to this, 3.39 million people in the NWS region are in urgent need of health assistance as per the HNO 2024.
One significant event that occurred was the suspension of hospital operations in Darkosh due to a lack of support. The Director of Al Rahma Hospital in Darkosh, Idleb, announced on April 30th that the hospital had stopped operating in all departments due to financial difficulties. This hospital had been serving over 700,000 people in the area and providing free medical services to approximately 20,000 patients per month. With no further financial assistance available, staff are now only working on a voluntary basis for emergency cases.
Another important development was the World Health Organization (WHO) conducting a Training of Trainers (ToT) on Mass Casualty Management/Planning (MCM/MCP) in Gaziantep on April 19th. This training will be followed by decentralized MCM/MCP sessions within NWS with the help of various health partners.
In April 2024, six WHO trucks carrying essential medicines, medical supplies, and health emergency kits crossed the border through the Bab Al-Hawa crossing and targeted nearly 90,000 individuals who were affected by the conflict in NWS. Additionally, a multispecialty medical mission was organized by SAMS in collaboration with Islamic Relief, SEMA, and Alrazi Hospital during the same month to provide much-needed medical services to those affected by the conflict.
Overall, while there have been challenges faced by healthcare facilities and professionals working in NWS due to ongoing conflicts and funding issues, efforts are being made by various organizations to ensure that those who require medical attention receive it promptly and efficiently.
The suspension of hospital operations at Al Rahma Hospital in Darkosh is a concerning issue that highlights the lack of funding for healthcare facilities operating within NWS. While this situation has created difficulties for patients seeking medical attention and staff working at the hospital who are now only working on an emergency basis for voluntary cases.
On a positive note, organizations such as WHO have taken steps towards providing more comprehensive training opportunities for healthcare professionals within NWS through their Training of Trainers program on Mass Casualty Management/Planning (MCM/MCP). Additionally, efforts have been made towards ensuring accessibility of essential medicines and medical supplies through WHO trucks crossing borders into NWS.
However, more needs to be done to address ongoing conflicts and funding issues within NWS so that all residents can access necessary healthcare services without interruption or difficulty.
