A WHO team visited Maarat al-Numan city in rural Idlib
As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the healthcare sector in northwest Syria, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a field visit to the city of Maarrat al-Numan in the Idlib countryside. The visit aimed to follow up on the ongoing renovation and rehabilitation work at the city’s health center and central hospital.
This visit is part of WHO’s plan to support the stabilization of the healthcare system in affected areas. The team sought to assess the progress of the maintenance work and to identify current needs in terms of infrastructure, medical equipment, and human resources to ensure the restoration of essential health services for the city’s residents and surrounding communities.
The team was accompanied by representatives from the Idlib Health Directorate and Al-Ameen Organization, which plays a key role in supervising the implementation and technical and administrative oversight of the rehabilitation process. Several engineers and technicians responsible for the on-ground renovation work also joined the tour.
The WHO delegation included:
- Dr. Ihor Perehinets, Regional Emergency Director at the WHO Regional Office for Europe
- Christina Bethke, Acting WHO Representative in Syria
- Emanuele Bruni, Program Manager at WHO Regional Office for Europe
- Rosa Crestani, Emergency Team Lead at WHO Gaziantep Field Office (for cross-border operations into northwest Syria)
- Bakor Albakor, Pharmaceuticals Expert at WHO Gaziantep
- Mrinalini Santhanam, Communications Officer at WHO Gaziantep
They were accompanied by *Dr. Nahel Al-Ghadri, Regional Director of the Syria Mission, and *Dr. Wasil Al-Jark, Programs Director at the Syria Mission.
The visit included a tour of various hospital departments, such as the emergency unit, outpatient clinics, laboratories, and operating rooms, where the team reviewed completed stages and identified outstanding needs for the project’s completion.
Discussions were held with technical and administrative staff to address key challenges facing the rehabilitation process, including funding constraints and difficulties in securing necessary medical equipment. WHO representatives reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continue providing technical and logistical support to help accelerate the project’s progress and ensure the swift reactivation of the health facilities.
This visit is part of a broader response plan led by WHO in collaboration with local partners—most notably Al-Ameen Organization—to support the healthcare system in northwest Syria, particularly amid the difficult humanitarian conditions resulting from the decline of basic services. The rehabilitation of damaged health facilities is a crucial step toward strengthening community resilience and improving access to healthcare.
It is worth noting that Maarrat al-Numan Central Hospital is one of the most important medical facilities in the region and has suffered severe damage due to military operations, which led to its prolonged shutdown. Stakeholders hope that this intervention will help restore hope to thousands of families and enable the local health sector to meet the growing health needs of the population.
