QRCS Delivers QR45 Million Qatari Medical Aid to Syria

Damascus, September 08 (QNA) - A high-level delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) arrived at Damascus International Airport today, as part of the efforts made by the Qatari government and humanitarian organizations to support the resilience of the people, institutions, and vital sectors of Syria.

The delegation was headed by HE QRCS President Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, HE Secretary-General Faisal Mohamed Al Emadi, Assistant Secretary-General for Relief and International Development Mohamed Bader Al Sada, and Assistant Secretary-General for Communication and Resource Development Mohamed Ahmed Al Beshri.

They were received by HE Syria's Minister of Health Dr. Musaab Nazzal Al Ali, HE Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Syria, Khalifa Abdullah Al Mahmoud, HE President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARCS) Dr. Mohamed Hazem Bakleh, Director of Damascus Health Directorate Dr. Wael Dagmash, Hisham Dirani, representative of Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and staff of QRCS's representation office in Turkiye.

The purpose of this humanitarian visit was to deliver a new batch of Qatari aid under the 'Take Heart Syria' initiative, containing medical equipment and supplies donated by Sidra Medicine, Al-Tafa'ol Trading Company, United International Trading Company, and Doha Health Care Group, in coordination with QRCS, SARCS, and Syria's Ministry of Health (MOH).

The Qatari delegation arrived at Damascus International Airport aboard a Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) aircraft, carrying 12 tons of critical and

sophisticated medical equipment to help Syrian hospitals continue providing quality health care services for patients.

This airlift was preceded by three land aid convoys. On 28 August 2025, 22 aid trucks started to depart from the warehouses of Sidra Medicine and QRCS in Doha in three batches. The convoys traveled through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, ending in Syria, with 78 tons of aid.

Thus, the total volume of aid delivered under the initiative totaled 90 tons of medical equipment and supplies, at a value of over QR 45 million (approximately $12.5 million).

In his keynote speech during the event, HE Al Khater stated, "The aid shipment that arrived today, and the previous ones, are the result of fruitful and appreciated cooperation between Qatar's MOFA, Sidra Medicine, Syria's MOH, QRCS, and SARCS. These combined efforts were meant to send a message of solidarity to Syria, helping revitalize the Syrian health care sector and strengthening the capacity of its medical institutions to meet the needs of millions of Syrians".

He noted that this aid was not the first to be given to Syria, highlighting QRCS's central role since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2012 in helping affected and displaced people in Syria, through its representation office in Turkiye and in cooperation with local and international partners.

"Over the past years, QRCS implemented large-scale projects and programs covering various sectors, including health, shelter, emergency relief, food security, water and sanitation, and livelihoods, with a total value of $160 million," added Al Khater. "More than 13 million people across the country benefited from these interventions".

QRCS's President promised to keep working hard to ensure the delivery of more Qatari aid to the people of Syria, as well as to intensify support to provide the Syrian health sector with the vital supplies needed for medical facilities.

HE Dr. Al Ali said, "In the name of the Syrian government and people, I would like to welcome this medical shipment from the State of Qatar, through QRCS. This humanitarian initiative is not merely equipment and supplies, but rather a message of genuine solidarity, a new lease on life for our patients, and a renewed hope for our medical professionals, who continue to do their job despite the difficulties and challenges".

"This event reflects the deep bonds of brotherhood between the people of Syria and Qatar and shows how humanitarian work can overcome all circumstances," he pointed out. "On behalf of every Syrian citizen, we express our sincerest thanks and appreciation to the State of Qatar and QRCS for this noble action, which will remain a testament to the values of cooperation and fraternity".

Meanwhile, HE Al Mahmoud emphasized the strategic nature of this aid shipment: "The aid that arrived today is a practical demonstration of Qatar's unwavering commitment to supporting the Syrian people. It is another step in our continuous journey of solidarity, which has been ongoing since the beginning of the crisis in 2011. This initiative reaffirms that Qatar will remain a source of support and assistance for our brothers and sisters in Syria, and we will continue to do our best to enhance their resilience and help rebuild their essential infrastructure".

He explained that this aid would be distributed across various Syrian governorates, including Al Suwayda and the Syrian coastal areas. "Under the guidance of its wise leadership, Qatar will continue to step up support for the Syrian health sector and intensify its efforts to rehabilitate infrastructure in various affected sectors, inspired by its sense of humanitarian responsibility and firm belief in the necessity of backing the Syrian people during this critical period in its history," he concluded.

HE Dr. Bakleh said, "We welcome our brothers from QRCS to Syria and greatly appreciate this generous initiative, which represents the deep fraternal ties between the Syrian and Qatari people and best embodies the spirit of humanitarian solidarity. SARCS's employees and volunteers are working hard to reach out to the most vulnerable groups and provide necessary support in collaboration with its Movement partners, notably QRCS. This vital medical equipment will help expand access to quality health care services at public hospitals, thus reducing pressure on health care providers in both the private and nonprofit sectors".

HE Al Emadi revealed that the Qatari aid shipment contained X-ray, anesthesia, and dialysis equipment; advanced laboratory testing equipment; vital signs monitoring machines; ventilators; incubators; radiography and laser imaging systems; plasma and biological storage freezers; cardiac and neurological monitoring devices; clinical decision support systems; stretchers; disinfection and protection tools; medical consumables; first-aid kits; and other equipment that covers a wide range of health care services, as an essential boost to rehabilitate medical infrastructure in Syria and enable hospitals to resume some of their suspended or limited services. (QNA)