In light of the difficult circumstances facing the health sector in the region due to a decrease in international support and the emergence of significant future challenges, Idlib Health Directorate held its fifth general conference today, Friday, October 11, 2024, under the theme: "Discussing the Health Reality, Its Challenges, and Planning for the Future." During the conference, a new Board of Trustees for the Health Directorate, consisting of eleven members, was elected. This board will in turn appoint a new Director of Health for a two-year term. The conference began with a general overview of the health situation in the province, presented by Dr. Zuhair Al-karrat , the Director of Health. He highlighted the most important achievements of the Directorate over the past two years (the fourth term). Additionally, presentations were made by the Emergency and Central Referral System, the Office for Disabled Affairs, the Mental Health Division, the Quality Control Department, and the Health Information Unit.

Following that, voting on candidacy criteria took place, and the candidates introduced themselves to the members of the General Conference before the election process was conducted. As a result of the voting, the following individuals were elected as members of the new Board of Trustees (in order of the number of votes): Dr. Hasan Qaddour, Mr. Mazen Ghazal, Dr. Alaa Al-Barhoum, Dr. Hassan Julaq, Dr. Khaled Al-Hamoud, Dr. Jamil Al-Dabl, Mr. Muhammad Al-Razouq, Dr. Khalil Agha, Dr. Hossam Debis, Dr. Muhammad Firas Al-Jundi, and Dr. Medean Al-Taqsh. The fifth General Conference included 178 members representing all public health facilities in Idlib province, including 131 representatives from hospitals, 27 representatives from primary healthcare centers, and five representatives from specialized centers (blood banks and dialysis centers). In addition, there were members of the Supreme Conference Committee, the trustees of the Health Directorate from the previous term, and the Director of Health and his deputies. The total number of health facilities represented in this session was 164, including 52 hospitals, 98 primary healthcare centers, and 14 specialized centers.

These conferences represent a unique democratic experience in northern Syria’s liberated areas, where all medical staff participate in selecting their representatives for the General Conference and electing a Board of Trustees that serves as a governing body for the medical sector in the province. The first General Conference was held in 2015 after the liberation of Idlib City, followed by the second conference in 2017, the third in 2020, and the fourth in 2022. We remain hopeful that this revolutionary experience will continue to shine and succeed, becoming a pioneering model for our public institutions in the liberated north as we work towards building a comprehensive national project that reflects the aspirations of all Syrians.

#Idlib_Health_Directorate #Fifth_General_Conference