Syria’s healthcare collapse leaves millions of returnees without access to care

Rebuilding Syria’s healthcare system is essential to national recovery, as millions of returnees continue to face limited or no access to basic medical services, according to a new assessment by humanitarian organisation Relief International.

In an article published on May 24, 2026, Valerie Docher warned that after 14 years of conflict, Syria’s health infrastructure remains severely fractured, with widespread shortages of medical staff, equipment and essential medicines.

The warning comes as European Union and Syrian officials recently met in Brussels to discuss reconstruction efforts, including EU funding of €14 million ($16.25 million) to rehabilitate Ar-Rastan Hospital in Homs, Al Jazeera reports.

While the EU initiative has been described as a positive step towards recovery, Relief International said the scale of need across the country far exceeds current support levels. The organisation reported that among 3.7 million Syrians who have returned home, many are encountering a non-functional or severely degraded healthcare system.

Survey data cited in the report shows that 78 per cent of returnees in Deir ez-Zor said healthcare services were unavailable. In al-Tebni district, 41 per cent of households reported at least one family member being unable to access emergency care in the past six months. The report also highlighted long waiting times, shortages of essential medicines, and widespread unaffordability as key barriers to treatment.

Field teams working across 50 healthcare facilities supported by Relief International described patients arriving too late for preventable conditions, including acute malnutrition in children and complications from untreated chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. Pregnant women were also reported to be at heightened risk due to limited antenatal and obstetric care.

Beyond physical health, the report emphasised a growing mental health crisis. It found that 86 per cent of women surveyed were experiencing anxiety and psychological distress linked to conflict exposure and displacement. However, mental health and psychosocial services remain severely underfunded.

The report also highlighted the long-term impact of the war, estimating that around 28 per cent of Syrians now live with some form of disability—nearly double the global average—amid continued risks from landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Relief International called for large-scale, coordinated international action to rebuild Syria’s primary healthcare system, including clinics, medical supply chains, and community health services. It also urged greater investment in mental health support, maternal care, chronic disease treatment and disability rehabilitation.

The organisation stressed that without urgent investment, returning populations will continue to face life-threatening gaps in care. It also called for sustained support for Syrians remaining in displacement, warning that aid reductions in host countries are further restricting access to essential services.

The report concluded that meaningful recovery in Syria depends on placing health at the centre of reconstruction efforts, backed by long-term international funding and cooperation.

By Aghakazim Guliyev