Syria, WHO discuss boosting cooperation 

Cooperation between the Syrian government and the World Health Organization (WHO) to increase the health services provided to the Syrian health sector in the light of the current challenges was the main topic discussed during a meeting on Monday by Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and the Regional Director of the World Health Organization in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al-Mandhari. 

The projects being implemented by WHO in Syria in cooperation with concerned parties were also discussed.  

Arnous reviewed the difficulties facing the Syrian health sector under the blockade which has impeded the process of securing necessary medical requirements. He also explained the negative impacts of terrorism on the infrastructure of many Syrian hospitals and health centers. 

He called for preparing global health protocols that encourage all countries to cooperate as to confront any emergency health cases or pandemics, away from politicization and sanctions that harm the people and the countries’ health sector.   

Supporting the health sector is one of the Syrian government’s priorities that aim at rehabilitating the health facilities and enable them to provide health and medical services to all Syrian citizens across the country, Arnous stressed, hailing the WHO’s efforts to help Syria in this regard. 

The prime minister pointed out that cutting off water supplies for citizens in Hasakah by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries is a crime against humanity, urging the WHO to provide more support for the health sector so that it can control the spread of Cholera. 

For his part, Al-Mandhari reaffirmed the WHO’s support for the Syrian health sector which has faced limitless challenges, pointing out that the health system in Syria has a long history and it was one of the best health systems in terms of child care, reproductive health, transparency, equipment, tools, etc… 

He hailed the performance of the Syrian health sector and its keenness to provide basic health services to citizens despite the challenges.   

Hamda Mustafa