Damascus, Feb. 5 (SANA) Syrian Health Minister Musab al-Ali held talks on Wednesday with Tomas Bergnoholtz, senior adviser to the director general of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), on strengthening cooperation in the health sector, the Health Ministry said.
The discussions focused on midwifery, developing scientific skills and training medical personnel. Al-Ali outlined challenges facing the sector, saying nearly 30 percent of hospitals remain destroyed and citing shortages of specialized medicines, medical equipment and ambulances. He said Syria currently has 304 ambulances, compared with a need for more than 1,000, and highlighted gaps in cancer screening, dental equipment and central laboratories.
Al-Ali said Syria welcomes investment in the health sector, particularly in private hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry and medical tourism.
Bergnoholtz reaffirmed Sweden’s continued humanitarian support for Syria, including technical assistance in digital health, training human resources and supplying hospitals with equipment. He praised the expertise of Syrian doctors and engineers and expressed interest in building direct partnerships through specialized training programs.
The meeting was attended by the chargé d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Damascus, Jessica Svardström.
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