Damascus, July 14 (SANA) Syrian ministers, legal experts and medical professionals on Tuesday launched a two-day workshop in Damascus to discuss reforms to the country’s medical liability framework, with a focus on strengthening legislation, improving judicial procedures and protecting the rights of both patients and healthcare professionals.
The workshop, titled “Medical Liability in Syrian Law: Current Reality and Prospects for Legislative and Institutional Development,” is being held with the participation of Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Marwan al-Halabi, and Health Minister Musab al-Ali.
Participants, including judges, forensic physicians, legal experts and academics, are examining mechanisms for handling medical malpractice cases and exploring ways to modernize the legal and institutional framework governing medical liability in Syria.
Justice Minister al-Wais said the workshop comes at what he described as an important stage in Syria’s efforts to rebuild state institutions on the foundations of justice, the rule of law and public confidence.
He said protecting patients is the primary objective of any healthcare system, while emphasizing that physicians also need a legal environment that enables them to perform their duties and ensures accountability without arbitrary treatment.
Al-Wais said medical liability should be viewed as a comprehensive system encompassing legal principles, ethics, scientific standards and institutional responsibilities rather than merely judicial procedures.
Health Minister al-Ali described medical liability as one of the most sensitive and complex issues facing the healthcare sector, noting that the workshop includes practical sessions examining real cases involving diagnostic errors, delayed treatment, surgical mistakes, medication-related complications and emergency care.
He said Syria needs to unify professional standards, develop evaluation tools and establish clear reference frameworks to ensure fair assessments, define responsibilities and balance the rights and obligations of patients and medical professionals.
Al-Ali expressed hope that the workshop would produce practical, evidence-based recommendations drawing on national expertise and international experience to strengthen Syria’s legislative and institutional framework for medical liability.
Minister al-Halabi said evidence-based medicine is the accepted foundation of modern medical practice, adding that efforts are underway to unify standards of care to ensure fairness and quality for all patients regardless of their circumstances.
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