Minister of Health Musab al-Ali discussed with a Czech delegation, headed by Kateřina Sequensová, Director General for Non-European Countries at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ways to enhance health cooperation between the two countries.
During a meeting, participants reviewed mechanisms for developing health services in Syria and empowering the health sector through partnerships.
Minister al-Ali affirmed that the Ministry is working according to a vision aimed at developing essential health services to be fair and inclusive for all Syrians, with a focus on strengthening primary healthcare centers and improving their quality, developing early cancer detection programs, enhancing infrastructure quality in terms of construction and medical equipment, and securing medications through procurement or local manufacturing to ensure pharmaceutical security.
The Minister explained the challenges facing Syria's health sector, including deteriorating infrastructure in many hospitals, a severe shortage of medical equipment -- especially those related to treating critical illnesses such as cancer and anesthesia -- and a lack of essential medicines due to limited resources and capabilities.
Despite these challenges, al-Ali stressed that Syria has made significant progress over the past eight months with support from international partners, and that there are major opportunities for investment in the health sector.
The Czech side expressed its readiness to assist in providing medical equipment and renovating hospitals, in cooperation with specialized Czech companies, and to enhance ongoing communication through the Czech Embassy in Damascus, which serves as a key hub for facilitating cooperation between the two countries.