Syria Calls on WHO to Help Lifting Imposed Sanctions

GENEVA,(ST) _ Health Minister Dr. Saad Nayef  called on World Health Organization (WHO) to help lift  the economic and banking sanctions imposed on Syria, which had a direct impact on the health sector and ensure maximum financial resources to meet increasing  health needs of the sick , wounded and the most vulnerable.

In a speech during a session for the World Health Assembly on Wednesday the minister  stressed the need for  WHO help in securing  drugs for  chronic diseases and tumor patients and contribute to the rehabilitation of affected health facilities

The minister pointed that before the current crisis,  Syria ‘s health sector made remarkable strides, reflected in health indicators, particularly related to mothers and children, noting that 98 % to 100%  of children under five year old were immunized, no  polio cases were reported since 1995,  great steps  were achieved  in the eradication of measles  and that  life expectancy is 71.5 year per person  compared to 58 year in 1970.

He  also noted the great achievements attained in Syria ‘s health sector in terms of infrastructure and human resources with 1921  health centers  and 124 public  hospitals equipped with highly qualified  medical staff  of 32 thousand doctors of different  specializations..

The Minister continued  that Syria has been able in recent years to achieve  medicinal self-sufficiency  with 72 drug-laboratory cover approximately 93 percent of the local market needs  and  the Ministry  imports only 7% of generic drugs such as vaccines ,oncology and hormonal drugs.

He indicated challenges  and common pressures , Syria ‘s health sector is facing,  such as population growth and increasing numbers of patients with common chronic diseases caused by lifestyle changes and the high cost of their treatment.

He elaborated that under the current crisis , the Ministry faces  new challenges pertinent to the economic blockade imposed on Syria, and attacks  by terrorist groups  resulted in killing 87  medical personnel , injuring 91 others and, kidnapping  21 and demolishing  54 hospitals  and 410 health centers and stealing ,burning more than 400 ambulances and looting of 20 drug-laboratory, whose machines were dismantled, transported and sold in certain  neighboring countries illegally.

The Minister of Health emphasized  that, in spite of all these challenges, the ministry is making efforts to continue providing free health care services,  including  open-heart surgery ,kidney transplantation and the treatment of patients with tumors , in collaboration with local and international non-governmental organizations.

T. Fateh