Syrian Health Sector Facts:
The Health sector in the Syrian Arab Republic is divided between several sides:
- the Ministry of Health included 2053 health units ( 1864 units are related directly to MOH and the remaining is related to private sites ), as primary health care centers , emergency medical points and specialized medical centers and comprehensive clinics, in addition of 100 Hospitals with 76 general hospitals, and 33 General Assemblies of Hospitals, until the end of 2019
- The Ministry of Higher Education with 14 educational hospitals).
- The Ministries of Defense and interior by military medical services and its medical providers (dispensaries and hospitals).
- Community centers, medical clinics And 391 accredited private hospitals.
The above sides provide the health services to all citizens of the country without exception, with high response, speed and quality required, making the available efforts to promote and provide the health services in the normal circumstances and at any emergency situations on any place of Syria under the supervision of ministry of health which provided nearly 53 million medical services during 2019.
The Syrian Health sector damages during the Syrian crisis :
As in all sectors, the health sector in Syria has been heavily affected, especially in ministry of health which suffered damage to approximately 685 health units between partial and total damage or were not known data because of its security situation during the crisis , in addition of 46 hospitals were exposed to mentioned structural damage ( 10 fully and 36 partially damage hospitals in 2019 ), as well as the hospitals of Ministry of Higher Education such as Al Kindi Hospital in Aleppo Governorate. in addition of the damage of some pharmaceutical factories in different regions , resulted in out of service or working in alternative locations.
The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic has developed its methodological plans for the rehabilitation of the medical centers and hospitals affected by the crisis due to the global war on Syria in its ninth year, in addition to the provision of medical equipment to ensure the continuation of its works according to the priorities, based on well-considered criteria. And the adoption of emergency reconstruction plans; support the funds of investments plans, as well as plans for international cooperation with friendly countries and relevant international organizations, especially in light of the unilateral economic siege imposed on Syria.
Investment in the health sector for post-crisis Syria and Corona Disease
( COVID- 19)
At the end of the global war on the country , and the return of security, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is fully aware of where it is going through the ratification of the comprehensive national program for post-crisis Syria, which carries the vision, objectives, aspirations, programs and projects promising for Syria to move qualitatively Relief phase to recovery and recovery , to sustainability in order to achieve the complementary situation in the economic health sector through the process of reconstruction and restoration of infrastructure and the provision of medical equipment necessary for the continuity and sustainability of the health . Which encourages in the next stages for the optimal investments in health economic sector field at all levels, in light of the following:
1. The needs to rehabilitate the destroyed health facilities and complete the requirements of performing its work in the best form by providing with the various medical equipment and supplies, especially after the great destruction caused by the crisis.
2. The qualitative expansion in the geography of the health sector in most of the governorates of the Syrian Arab Republic and the opening of new medical centers and hospitals such as :
- General Authority of Shahba Hospital in As-Suwayda
- General Authority of Children’s Hospital in Tartous Governorate.
- Damascus Oncology Hospital Project in Damascus Governorate (Doumar Area).
- Project of the physical treatment building and the center of artificial limbs in the Ibn Al-Nafis complex – Damascus Governorate.
- Martyr Dr. Ibrahim Naama Hospital in Latakia Governorate (Jabla city)
- General assembly of Homs National Hospital in Homs Governorate.
- The Stem Cell Center in the General Authority of Children’s University Hospital in Damascus.
- The General Authority of the Eye Surgical Hospital in Aleppo after its rehabilitation.
- Martyr Zahi Azrak Hospital In Allepo after its rehabilitation.
- Opening health centers in the Syrian governorates after rehabilitating them.
3. The increase in the number of health services, which amounted, for example, to nearly 53 million services in 2019, provided only by the Ministry of Health in all its facilities
4. The need to be open to modern facilities, equipment and treatments related to the great medical scientific development that the world has witnessed during the past years, in many specific medical specialties (microscopic surgery – plastic surgery – tumor surgery and its various treatments – genetics, stem cells, organ transplantation, etc.), in The availability of qualified medical personnel.
5. The high competencies and quality of work enjoyed by the medical human cadre in Syria, which encourages the completion of medical tourism projects at all medical levels (cardiovascular surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, gynecological surgery, IVF operations, jaw surgery, dental implants, eye surgery and others), especially in light of Competitive financial cost compared to many neighboring countries and countries of the world.
The Corona disease pandemic crisis has cast a bad shadow on medical work all over the world, especially in the Syrian Arab Republic, due to the difficulty in obtaining supplies to confront the disease in light of the possibility of its unexpected spread or the event of mixed cases that require medical care in the hospital with the increased need for equipment’s, Specialized devices such as :
- Mechanical ventilation (ventilators).
- Intensive care requirements such as the specialized patient beds, cardiac monitoring devices (monitors), electric shock devices..etc..
- The radiography devices such as CT and special multi-slice devices.
- Specialized laboratory-specific diagnostic methods ( PCR devices) with the laboratory work reagents for various qualitative analyzes.
- The requirements of individual protection means and protection means for medical personnel.
- Specific medicines such as anti-viral drugs.
- Home treatment management devices in the early stages of disease, such as oxygen generation devices and oxygen cylinders.
In addition to the need for specialized hospitals for medical isolation of different epidemiological cases, Types or specialized medical conditions for emergency diseases such as pneumonia, Infectious respiratory diseases, hepatitis diseases and gastrointestinal infections that require specialized medical care in terms of isolation and specialization in providing treatment.
All these needs raise the size and requirements of the competitive market in terms of quality and prices in relation to the needs for medical work requirements in the Syrian Arab Republic, and the possibilities available for investment on All levels to ensure the provision of all individual diagnostic and therapeutic means (oxygen cylinders, oxygen saturation meters), or public in various medical centers and hospitals, especially in light of the economic blockade imposed on the Syrian Arab Republic, taking into consideration the various facilities provided by the Syrian government to all Investors, according to the laws regulating this matter.
The completion of the rehabilitation of medical facilities, equipped with the best equipment required, the various medical supplies and qualified medical staff to provide with the best medical services, is a major goal of the Syrian government in order to ensure that the health sector in Syria will maintain its reputation and emulate the advanced countries in medical field at all levels and specializations.
In light of the new investment law in Syria No. 18 of 2021, which will carry promising opportunities as an economic gateway to Syria with the aim of establishing large industrial and productive projects, and in a manner that ensures the achievement of an investment environment conducive to attracting investors and foreign capital while protecting local capital, in a manner that provides them with an encouraging and appropriate environment to establish Investments, and in a manner that grants justice in granting investment opportunities, preventing monopoly, simplifying administrative procedures, preventing precautionary seizure of projects or imposing guards except by a judicial decision, in addition to unprecedented customs and tax exemptions for investment projects, through the abolition of customs and financial duties on imports of machinery, equipments, and production lines And service transportation for projects that have an investment license, and granting unprecedented exemptions ranging from 50 to 75% on profit tax for a wide range of industrial projects, the most important of which are projects in the technology industry, and the medical and pharmaceutical industry.