Tokyo, 06 Dec (SANA) Minister of Health Musab al-Ali and Minister of Finance Mohamed Yisr Barnieh participated in the High-Level Universal Health Coverage Summit 2025 held in Tokyo, presenting Syria’s commitments and roadmap to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
In his speech, Minister al-Ali outlined the severe challenges faced by Syria’s health sector in recent years, including the destruction and damage of many health facilities, acute shortages of medicines and equipment, and the migration of skilled professionals. He stressed Syria’s determination to move forward with a comprehensive reform programme to rebuild a fair and sustainable health system.
The Minister stressed that Syria’s participation in this global summit aims to showcase its ongoing reform journey and secure technical and financial support from international partners to turn commitments into reality, following successful models such as Japan and Germany.
The Minister outlined the priorities of the roadmap, including rehabilitating health infrastructure, strengthening primary care and essential services, focusing on the health workforce, bringing back Syrian expertise from abroad, enhancing pharmaceutical and health security through stronger local drug manufacturing and quality assurance, expanding digital transformation, and seeking funding sources, particularly health insurance.
Minister al-Ali addressed international partners, affirming that Syria’s government and professionals are driving a major reform process and welcome all forms of technical and financial support. He highlighted the Syrian people’s determination to achieve this vision and called on the international community to join Syria’s success story.
For his part, Finance Minister Barnieh told SANA that Syria is fully committed to achieving universal health coverage by 2030 and ensuring the necessary funding for success through diversified sources and innovative financing solutions in partnership with the private sector.
Barnieh added that this effort is part of a comprehensive strategy to improve the health insurance system, provide essential services, and rehabilitate hospitals and health institutions. He considered Syria’s participation in the summit an opportunity to reaffirm international support for the government’s reform plan, secure financial and technical assistance, and build related capacities.
The Finance Minister noted that key side meetings were held with the head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan’s Finance Minister, and the Minister of Health, Welfare, and Labour.He added: “We discussed possible support from the Japanese government, met with the World Bank President to review joint activities, and held several other meetings, including with representatives of the Syrian diaspora, many of whom are distinguished academics eager to serve their homeland.”
The Japanese government is hosting the High-Level Universal Health Coverage Summit 2025 in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group in Tokyo, focusing on advancing universal health coverage, sustainable health financing, launching the UHC Knowledge Hub, and presenting the 2025 Global Monitoring Report on Universal Health Coverage.
MHD Ibrahim
