The second Shifa medical campaign, organized by the Shifa Medical Team from Germany in cooperation with the Independent Doctors’ Association (Aida) and under the auspices of the Syrian Ministry of Health, concluded after six weeks of intensive field work in various Syrian governorates. The campaign aimed to provide free medical and surgical care to the most needy, recording remarkable achievements in the number of operations and medical consultations.
Tangible Digital and Field Achievements
During the closing conference held at the University of Damascus Auditorium, the campaign’s head, Dr. Mahdi al-Ammar, revealed the initiative’s achievements, with 940 surgeries and 6,000 medical consultations provided to patients. The medical specialties included orthopedics, neurosurgery, cardiology, general surgery, visceral surgery, and urology, reflecting a wide variety of treatments for critical and chronic cases.
The campaign’s role was not limited to the therapeutic aspect alone, but included educational programs totaling 700 hours of workshops and lectures contributing to raising the efficiency of local medical personnel.
Communication and Solidarity Across Borders
The campaign’s teams worked in hospitals in Damascus and its countryside, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Idlib, Latakia, Tartous, Daraa, Deir Ezzor, and Quneitra. One-hundred and thirty expatriate Syrian doctors participated in the campaign, most of whom completed their medical studies in Syria and pursued their specialization in Germany. They returned offering their expertise during as volunteers during their vacations, in a message of humanitarian solidarity with their fellow countrymen.
Dr. Ammar emphasized the importance of “exchanging expertise and experiences between the campaign’s doctors and doctors residing in Syria,” enhancing the transfer of knowledge and leaving a lasting impact.
Expansion via German Cooperation
For his part, the German Chargé d’Affaires in Syria, Clemens Haach, confirmed that his country seeks to establish broader governmental cooperation with Syria in the health sector. He noted that discussions are currently underway with the Syrian Ministry of Health to provide aid and “build a new health system.” He pointed out that Germany has provided significant support in health services to Syrians over the past 15 years.
Cardiovascular Surgery Consultant Dr. Muhammad Khattab stated that the team performed “many qualitative operations in various specialties,” while pointing out the difficult reality of Syria’s health infrastructure, which continues to suffer from the effects of destruction.
For his part, Dr. Amer al-Zoubi, a consultant in endoscopic cardiovascular surgery, noted that some of the operations performed were “complex and achieved very good results.” He expressed his regret for the limited time that prevented examining all cases, stressing that these cases will be followed up in the next campaign.
Continuing the Journey of Giving
The campaign launched on July 13 focused on providing comprehensive medical supplies, as a humanitarian and solidarity initiative by Syrian expatriates. The previous campaign, which lasted three weeks in April performed 670 surgeries (most of which were specialized, some for the first time in Syria) with the participation of 110 doctors. It also provided training for healthcare workers and repaired damaged medical equipment.
