High-level Syrian meeting with the World Bank to launch a comprehensive strategy for developing the health sector

The Ministers of Health, Dr. Musab Al-Ali, and Finance, Muhammad Yaser Barnieh, held a consultative meeting with a delegation from the World Bank to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation in future projects aimed at supporting the medical sector and enabling universal health coverage, as part of a workshop held at the Ministry of Health's headquarters.

The discussion during the workshop focused on launching a "Technical Working Group" in partnership with the World Health Organization and the World Bank, aimed at developing a comprehensive financing strategy for the Ministry of Health that would elevate the quality of medical services provided to citizens.

In his speech, Minister of Health Dr. Musab Al-Ali emphasized the "importance of forming a joint committee from the Ministries of Health and Finance to provide a health insurance system for employees in the first phase, with the intention of expanding it later to become comprehensive insurance," stressing the "essential role of the Ministry of Health in establishing the health system to ensure the health of citizens and provide medical services to them."

Minister Al-Ali added that "the ministry is working on creating a new health system that aligns with digital advancements to improve service quality," expressing its "readiness to prepare a new health insurance system that keeps pace with the systems of developed countries."

For his part, Minister of Finance Muhammad Yaser Barnieh expressed his ministry's commitment to developing a sustainable health insurance system that provides high-quality health services covering all citizens' needs, while providing the necessary human and financial resources to develop the sector.

Minister Barnieh stated in an exclusive statement: "We are in a unique historical position without constraints, and we want the best for the medical sector, and we take pride in our partnership with the Ministry of Health."

For its part, the World Bank delegation expressed its eagerness to understand the actual needs of the Ministry of Health and the mechanisms for providing financial and technical support, including providing technical consultations and participating in developing tools and mechanisms to improve the health system in Syria.

The delegation pointed out the importance of identifying the areas and health centers benefiting from the services, and the mode of benefit in terms of providing medical devices and medicines or ensuring easy access for patients to health services, emphasizing the necessity of providing health insurance for citizens as one of the fundamental pillars of development.