By Ipsita Malhotra, Human Concern International
In October 2024, Human Concern International’s (HCI) primary health-care centre in northern rural Aleppo, Syria, began addressing the urgent health-care challenges of the region. Years of conflict have left the health-care system severely strained, with limited resources, widespread displacement and countless individuals unable to access basic medical care. According to the Health Sector Bulletin published by ReliefWeb on January 5, 2025, key hospitals in Aleppo are overwhelmed by patient loads due to shortages of staff and resources. In this challenging environment, HCI’s centre bridges critical gaps by providing essential medical services tailored to the community’s needs.
HCI’s primary health-care center adopts a community-centred approach, addressing immediate health needs while focusing on long-term resilience.
Between October and December 2024, the center served more than 6,000 individuals, including approximately 18% men, 37% women, 28% boys and 35% girls. This breakdown highlights the significant number of women and children benefiting from health-care services. For many, this center marks their first opportunity to receive professional health care, offering support to diverse groups and addressing urgent and ongoing medical needs.
The centre provides essential services such as general consultations, specialized gynecology, dental care and laboratory testing, ensuring a broad range of health-care needs are met.
To ensure a broader impact, the centre integrates community health education initiatives. These programs emphasize the importance of nutrition and malnutrition prevention, distributing nutritional supplements to vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.
Beyond treating illnesses, the centre addresses the root causes of poor health. Educational initiatives and preventive care aim to reduce the occurrence of avoidable diseases by equipping individuals with practical knowledge of hygiene, nutrition and disease prevention.
This proactive approach equips individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed health decisions, fostering a culture of awareness and self-care within the community.
Every aspect of service delivery is rooted in professionalism and respect, ensuring that each patient is treated with dignity and compassion.
The centre ensures that all care is delivered in a manner that upholds the dignity of each individual, creating a safe and welcoming environment for all community members.
HCI’s primary health-care center demonstrates how strategic interventions and data-driven approaches can transform health-care in underserved regions. By offering free, high-quality medical services and addressing systemic health challenges, the centre is building a foundation for healthier and more resilient communities.
A vision for the future
HCI sees this initiative not as a temporary measure but as a model for sustainable health-care solutions. By investing in skilled professionals, essential equipment and community engagement, the center is paving the way for lasting change. This reflects HCI’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that health care is a fundamental right for everyone.
Through compassion, collaboration and determination, HCI’s primary health-care center addresses urgent medical needs while creating pathways for systemic change. It is a testament to the power of targeted, community-focused efforts to strengthen resilience and foster long-term well-being.
Published:
February 13, 2025
Author:
By Ipsita Malhotra, Human Concern International
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