Solid Cooperation Between Health Ministry and WHO

DAMASCUS, (ST)_”over the past six weeks ,the Health Ministry sent some 33 shipments of medicine to provinces .These shipments have already landed in 11 provinces plus medications which are distributed  in cooperation with the international organizations and allocated to the crisis-hit areas, “said  Health Minister, Dr. Saad al-Nayef .

These shipments fall within the framework of the  ministry’s efforts to meet the citizens’ requirements..

Al-Nayef’s remarks were made during a meeting he held on Saturday with the WHO resident representative in Syria, Elizabeth Hoff.

During the meeting, both sides also zeroed in on the health situation in Syria and the ministry’s needs at the current stage amid incessant attacks against health institutions by armed terrorist groups.

“the national vaccination campaign ,that will target approximately 2 million children-U-five-,is due to be launched in November. The said campaign will go in line with  distributing food packages and personal hygiene care groups, “underlined al-Nayef.

The ministry is currently preparing for holding a joint national workshop with international health organizations operating in this field .

“the main goal of holding such a workshop is to reevaluate the joint cooperation  over the past period and drawing up future plans, and discussing difficulties and challenges that are facing the health institutions in the ongoing circumstances,” emphasized the minister.

Furthermore,Dr. al-Nayef urged international bodies to provide further support to the ministry’s work and broaden the scope of medical aid, especially as regards the chronic diseases’ medicines.

Hoff ,for her part,made it clear that the WHO ”is committed to help and support Syrian citizens nationwide in cooperation with the ministries of health and higher education, and the NGOs,” affirming that the ministry is exerting efforts to provide medicine, especially for chronic diseases.

Hoff added that “the WHO supports the national vaccination campaigns, indicating that the organization, in collaboration with the Health Ministry has launched the early warning system to combat all potential epidemics through monitoring health conditions and the prompt response in the event of detecting any such case.

M.D