Syrian-American cooperation to establish a comprehensive medical city supporting health and education in the countryside of Damascus.

In a significant step to enhance the healthcare and medical education sector in Syria, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Marwan Al-Halabi, discussed with a delegation from the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) led by Dr. Abdulfattah Al-Sha'ar the establishment of an integrated medical city in the countryside of Damascus, along with future cooperation to support the healthcare system and academic training. During the meeting held at the ministry's building, Minister Al-Halabi emphasized the pivotal role of the association as a genuine partner in providing medical and training services, highlighting the importance of the project as part of sustainable development and raising the level of academic training. The Minister expressed the ministry's readiness for full cooperation with the association in coordination with the Ministry of Health, especially in light of the expected easing of sanctions that will open wider prospects for rehabilitation and advancement of educational hospitals, which provided over 12 million medical services last year, including 117,000 surgeries. On her part, the Director of Educational Hospitals, Engineer Micheline Kasouha, highlighted the urgent need for support and maintenance of medical equipment, especially radiology and MRI devices at the Al-Mouwasat University Hospital in Damascus. Dr. Abdulfattah Al-Sha'ar reviewed the association's history and activities, emphasizing the importance of the new medical city with its strategic location between southern and northern regions, aiming to provide advanced and high-quality medical and educational services. Al-Sha'ar explained that the association currently sponsors 47 medical facilities in northern Syria, including 12 hospitals, and during 2024 provided over 4.4 million diverse medical services, in addition to launching specialized training programs in cancer, heart diseases, intensive care, and clinical psychiatry. Engineer Murad Droush, the project manager of the medical city, presented the project plan designed according to global standards, benefiting from experiences in Turkey and America, including educational and academic medical facilities, specialized centers for various diseases, commercial and residential facilities for medical staff, with plans to expand the project to other provinces in the future. Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Minister of Higher Education for Private Universities Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Swayed, and the Director of Cultural Relations, Dr. Nameer Issa, along with several members of the Syrian American Medical Society delegation. It is worth noting that "SAMS" is a non-profit humanitarian medical organization founded in 1998 by Syrian American doctors, working to provide healthcare and medical education in Syria and neighboring countries to support communities affected by humanitarian crises.