Damascus, SANA-The establishment of an integrated medical city in Damascus countryside and enhanced cooperation in strengthening the health sector were the main topics of discussion between Dr. Marwan a-Halabi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and a delegation from the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), led by its Chairman, Dr. Abdulfatah al-Shaar.
During the meeting, held Sunday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Damascus, Minister al-Halabi commended SAMS for its academic work, recognizing it as a genuine partner in providing medical and training services and supporting Syria’s educational system.
He noted that the proposed integrated medical city project is a significant step, aligning with sustainable development goals and promising to enhance academic training.
Minister al-Halabi expressed the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate with SAMS on this initiative, in coordination with the Ministry of Health. He highlighted that the lifting of sanctions on Syria would create broader opportunities for cooperation in training, rehabilitation, and advancing the educational hospitals, which provided 12 million medical services last year, including 117,000 surgical operations.
Engineer Micheline Kassouha, Director of University Hospitals, emphasized the need for cooperation with SAMS to secure essential supplies and equipment for hospitals, particularly for Al-Mowasat University Hospital in Damascus. This includes the maintenance of medical equipment, as well as radiography and MRI machines.
For his part, Dr. Abdulfatah al-Shaar underscored the importance of establishing an integrated medical city in Damascus countryside, citing its strategic location between the southern and northern regions. The goal is to deliver high-quality medical and educational services. He reviewed the history of SAMS’s founding, its activities, and the medical projects and programs it offers.
Al-Shaar noted that SAMS supports 47 medical facilities in northern Syria, including 12 hospitals and other medical centers. These facilities provided diverse medical services, peaking in 2024 with over 4.4 million services. SAMS has also developed specialized medical and training programs in areas such as oncology, cardiology, intensive care, and neurology, as well as specialized nursing training.
Engineer Murad Darwish, the Medical City Project Manager, provided a detailed explanation of its design. He stated that the city was planned according to international medical standards, drawing lessons from similar projects in Turkey and the United States.
He added that it will encompass several facilities, including a medical education institution, an academic hospital building, specialized medical facilities for cardiology, oncology, and neurological disorders, in addition to commercial and residential facilities for medical staff. He also indicated that similar projects would be implemented in other governorates later.
Ruaa al-Jazaeri
