Syria originally had a relatively complete medical system in the Middle East, but years of war plunged its medical system into an unprecedented predicament-a large number of hospitals and medical centers were damaged or shut down in the war, medical resources were extremely scarce, a large number of professionals were lost, and patients struggled to seek medical treatment.
Head of Reporters Randy:The Syrian health sector is facing many crises, including the shortage of medical equipment, the lack of doctors and caregivers. A large number of hospitals have been shut down due to the war. The Damascus National Hospital, one of Syria’s oldest government hospitals, is under great pressure because of the complete absence of medical services in several provinces in Syria and a large influx of patients seeking free medical care.
Syria's hospital system was severely damaged in the war, and the latest data shows that Only about 62% of hospitals operate in full load and 38% of hospitals are either completely or partially shut down.。 Hospitals in Aleppo, Homs, Daraa and other places were bombed or neglected for a long time during the war, and only a few of them were repaired.
At the National Key Hospital in the capital Damascus, the director told us that they are facing a shortage of medical staff first.
Director of the National Hospital of Damascus:Currently, we only have four emergency medical specialists, and we need 20 emergency doctors because we receive an average of 1,000 patients a day.
At present, the shortage of anesthesiologists in Syria exceeds 75%, and the existing drugs in the oncology department and radiotherapy department can only cover about 20% of patients. Medical equipment is scarce, and diagnostic equipment such as magnetic resonance machines and CT scanners is extremely rare or even absent in most provinces.
Dr. Philas of the National Hospital of Damascus:One of the most common problems and obstacles is that equipment is old, such as blood thinner equipment. The device requires multiple operations to produce results, and the base of the device is damaged, affecting operation and therefore cannot provide accurate analytical results.
In addition, the recession of the local pharmaceutical industry has also aggravated the crisis. Before the war, Syria had more than 70 pharmaceutical factories that could almost meet domestic demand. Today, a large number of factories are shut down due to damage or lack of raw materials, leading to a shortage of drugs and vaccines in the market. The largest specialized hospital in Idlib, the Bab Hova Hospital, is facing closure due to drug supply shutdown by the end of 2024, threatening the lives of thousands of patients.
Syrian media said the situation in the Syrian medical industry is severe, but it also presents huge opportunities for reconstruction and hopes that more countries will be involved in repairing and rebuilding Syrian hospital infrastructure.