The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on the international community to increase support for Syria’s health sector, stressing that maintaining healthcare services today is “a bridge to recovery tomorrow.”
Christina Bethke, acting WHO representative in Syria, said during a press conference in Geneva that 417 health facilities across the country have been affected by funding cuts since mid-2025, with 366 facilities suspending or reducing services.
Bethke warned that as Syria transitions from emergency response to recovery, a “transitional gap” has emerged, where humanitarian funding is declining before national systems can fully take over.
She noted that 7.4 million people in Syria have already seen reduced access to medicines and treatment, with only 58% of hospitals and 23% of primary healthcare centers operating at full capacity. Chronic shortages of medicines, electricity, and equipment continue to keep services fragile, she added.
Despite the government’s strong commitment and the adoption of a two-year national health strategy, Bethke said that needs are growing rapidly.
