Claire Dawson
Syria's health system has been in a dire state since the onset of the conflict in March 2011, with health facilities being targeted as a strategy of war. The systematic destruction of medical facilities in Syria has been attributed to the deliberate targeting of medical facilities by all sides, most notably the Syrian government, which has the ability to carry out aerial attacks. According to the World Health Organization, 57% of Syria's public hospitals have been damaged, with only 64% of hospitals and 52% of primary health care centers functioning across Syria as of 2022. This begs the question: how many hospitals are left in Syria?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitals functioning | 64% of hospitals are functioning |
| Number of primary health care centers functioning | 52% are functioning |
| Number of health workers remaining in the country | 30% remain |
| Number of attacks on hospitals since March 2011 | 566 separate attacks on 348 medical facilities |
| Number of health workers killed in attacks | 900 |
| Number of hospitals damaged | 57% of public hospitals |
| Number of hospitals no longer functioning | 37% of public hospitals |
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What You'll Learn
Systematic destruction of medical facilities
The Syrian civil war has seen a systematic destruction of medical facilities, with hospitals and clinics being targeted as a strategy of war. This has left Syria's healthcare system battered and overwhelmed. According to the World Health Organization, 57% of Syria's public hospitals have been damaged, and 37% are no longer functioning. This has had devastating consequences, with many civilians unable to access life-saving medical attention.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), an NGO, has corroborated reports of 566 separate attacks on a total of 348 medical facilities in Syria from March 2011 through May 2019. Nearly 900 medical workers are reported to have lost their lives in these attacks, with 139 deaths directly attributable to torture or execution. The Syrian government and its allies have been responsible for 90% of the incidents, according to PHR.
The targeting of medical facilities by all sides in the conflict, but most notably by the Syrian government, has been well documented. The government has the ability to wage aerial attacks across the country and has consistently targeted hospitals and medical clinics, despite their protection under international humanitarian law. The UN-mandated Investigative Panel, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, has concluded that these attacks must be considered war crimes.
The consequences of these attacks have been dire. With the displacement of medical personnel, the disappearance of doctors, and the destruction of hospitals, Syrians have been left without access to adequate healthcare. The few remaining functional hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of patients, and the psychological toll on medical staff is immense.
The international community has been criticized for its inadequate response to these attacks. While there have been strong condemnations from the UN Security Council and other bodies, there has been little concrete action to hold perpetrators accountable and protect Syria's medical infrastructure.
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Medical workers under threat
Medical personnel in Syria have been under constant threat since the onset of the Syrian Civil War in March 2011. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has documented the killing of medical personnel in Syria since the beginning of the conflict, with hundreds of doctors having been killed, and many more having fled the country. The war has also disrupted the education and training of healthcare workers, with undergraduate and postgraduate studies being interrupted and few opportunities to continue.
The Syrian government has been accused of deliberately targeting medical facilities and workers, with Physicians for Human Rights reporting that 90% of the 566 attacks on 348 medical facilities between March 2011 and May 2019 were carried out by the Syrian government or its allies. The government has denied these accusations and has never acknowledged bombing a hospital. However, the UN-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic has concluded that the government's airstrikes on hospitals constitute war crimes.
The conflict has also restricted the flow of aid, supplies, and expertise to non-government-controlled areas, endangering medical care and basic public health functions. The emergence of polio in 2013 in areas with limited vaccination coverage and its subsequent spread to Iraq highlighted the impact of these restrictions on regional and global health. The targeting of healthcare workers and facilities has had devastating consequences, with one in four health practitioners witnessing attacks that left facilities beyond repair and many setting up medical facilities in caves, private homes, and underground cellars.
The exodus of more than 70% of Syria's healthcare workforce has left those remaining to work in dangerous conditions with insufficient resources. Medical personnel in Syria continue to face serious short-term and long-term threats, and the international community must recognize the importance of protecting and supporting these workers in armed conflict zones.
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Hospitals functioning at minimum capacity
The Syrian healthcare system has been in a dire state since the onset of the Syrian Civil War in March 2011. Hospitals and healthcare facilities have been targeted as a strategy of war, with hundreds of doctors killed and thousands more fleeing the country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 57% of Syria's public hospitals have been damaged, and 37% are no longer functioning. The targeting of hospitals has been attributed to all sides of the conflict but mostly to the Syrian government, which has the capability to carry out aerial attacks.
In 2019, over half of public hospitals were functioning, albeit many at minimum capacity and with severe shortages of staff, medicines, and supplies. Hospitals in Aleppo, Dar'a, Homs, Idlib, Rural Damascus, and northeast Syria were among the worst affected. WHO delivered medical equipment to over 60 hospitals in government-controlled areas and provided training in neonatal resuscitation to staff in 38 hospitals. However, the scale of the destruction of medical facilities in Syria has been immense, and the situation remains critical.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) reported in 2022 that only 64% of hospitals and 52% of primary healthcare centers were functioning across Syria, with an estimated 70% of the health workforce having fled the country. Healthcare workers in Syria face tremendous challenges, with many setting up facilities in unconventional places such as caves, private homes, and underground cellars. The constant threat of attacks and the lack of resources have taken a toll on the mental health of medical personnel.
The targeting of hospitals and healthcare facilities in Syria has been widely condemned by international organizations and human rights groups. Despite strong protections under international humanitarian law, hospitals in insurgent-controlled territories have been subjected to numerous airstrikes by Russian-backed Syrian government forces. The Syrian government has denied the accusations, and the UN's ability to intervene has been limited due to disagreements among its permanent members.
The conflict in Syria has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The destruction of hospitals and the displacement of medical professionals have left many Syrians without access to basic healthcare, exacerbating the challenges of providing essential medical services in the country.
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Attacks on deconflicted targets
Since the start of the Syrian conflict in March 2011, health facilities have been targeted as a strategy of war. Physicians for Human Rights, an NGO, has corroborated reports of 566 separate attacks on a total of 348 medical facilities in Syria from March 2011 through May 2019. Nearly 900 medical workers are reported to have lost their lives in these attacks.
The Syrian government has been accused of deliberately targeting medical facilities. In 2012, it passed anti-terrorism laws that effectively criminalized medical aid to the opposition. The UN has noted that there is no evidence that Geneva Conventions-mandated warnings were ever issued, leading to the conclusion that the government's airstrikes on hospitals are war crimes.
In his briefing to the Security Council, OCHA's Mark Lowcock noted that many sites on the no-strike list that "are not hospitals have not been attacked," suggesting that health-related targets are deliberately selected for destruction. While avoiding direct accusations, he implied that OCHA's no-strike list is being used by the Russian and Syrian governments to find and destroy medical clinics.
The humanitarian deconfliction mechanism seeks to prevent attacks on relief facilities, units, and personnel by the parties to an armed conflict. However, in the case of Syria, there is evidence that even hospitals that voluntarily shared their GPS coordinates under a UN-run humanitarian deconfliction system were still attacked.
The International Rescue Committee and its Syrian partner organizations have documented the devastating consequences of attacks on health facilities, which have destroyed hospitals, killed medical personnel, and prevented many from receiving life-saving medical attention.
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Shortages of medical supplies
Syria is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with civilians being deliberately targeted through bombings and denied basic necessities such as food, water, and medicine. The ongoing conflict has resulted in a critical shortage of medical supplies, exacerbating the dire situation.
Prior to the violence, Syria's healthcare system was comparable to other middle-income countries, with a mix of government-run public schemes and private sector services. However, the protracted political and socioeconomic crisis has severely eroded the country's health system. The conflict has led to the destruction and targeting of health infrastructure, with hospitals and medical clinics being bombed and attacked. These attacks are not only limited to Syria but have also occurred in other countries, including Afghanistan, Gaza, and Yemen.
The Syrian government has been accused of deliberately targeting medical facilities as a strategy of war, with Physicians for Human Rights reporting 566 separate attacks on 348 medical facilities from March 2011 to May 2019. Nearly 900 medical workers have lost their lives, and the number of remaining doctors, nurses, and first responders is inadequate to meet the needs of the population. The displacement and disappearance of medical personnel further contribute to the shortage of medical care.
The damage to pharmaceutical plants in rural Aleppo, Homs, and Rural Damascus, where 90% of the country's pharmaceutical production was located, has resulted in a critical shortage of medicines. Syria, which previously produced 90% of its medicines and drugs locally, now faces challenges in meeting the health needs of its population. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian organizations have been working to address these shortages by providing medical equipment, supplies, and humanitarian relief. However, delivering assistance has been challenging due to the ongoing violence and obstruction by both the government and non-state armed groups.
The impact of the medical supply shortages extends beyond immediate physical injuries. The lack of access to medicine and treatment for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, renal disease, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia can also become life-threatening. The UN estimates that there are over half a million debilitating injuries that will require long-term care, further straining the already limited resources.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2016, only 64% of hospitals in Syria were functioning, down from 41 general hospitals and 152 specialized hospitals in 1990.
Since the onset of the conflict in 2011, health facilities have been targeted as a strategy of war. There have been nearly 600 attacks on healthcare facilities, with many sites being hit multiple times.
The Syrian government and its allies, including Russia, have been accused of deliberately targeting medical facilities. However, indiscriminate rebel shelling has also hit hospitals and clinics in government-controlled territory.
The attacks have destroyed hospitals, killed and displaced medical personnel, and prevented many civilians from accessing lifesaving medical care. This has led to an increase in deaths and disabilities due to conflict and terrorism.
Organizations like the International Rescue Committee and Physicians for Human Rights have documented the devastating consequences of attacks on health facilities and advocated for stronger accountability for violations of international law. The World Health Organization has provided medical equipment, training, and supplies to hospitals in government and insurgent-controlled areas.
