Since the beginning of the unrest in the Syrian Arab Republic,
the World Health Organization has been working with the Ministry
of Health, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and partners to address
the acute and chronic health needs of Syrian populations
affected by the crisis. This includes the provision of
ambulances, the refurbishing and equipping of four mobile health
clinics, and medicines and medical supplies for treating
approximately 700 000 people. As the crisis continues into its
18th month, however, severe shortages in medicines and
pharmaceutical products are being reported inside the country.
More than 90% of medicines in the Syrian Arab Republic were
locally produced before the unrest began in February 2011. Since
then, economic sanctions and an increase in operational costs
have negatively affected the production of medicines and
pharmaceutical products. The recent escalation of clashes has
impacted pharmaceutical plants in Rural Aleppo, Homs and Rural
Damascus, where 90% of the country’s plants are