7/21/2026
Qatar Charity has launched the implementation of more than 830 specialized surgeries in the Syrian Arab Republic under its global “Defaa Balaa” campaign, which was launched on the 27th night of the blessed month of Ramadan. The initiative is being carried out in cooperation and coordination with the Syrian Ministry of Health, beginning at Al-Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus, in the presence of H.E. Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Syrian Arab Republic.
The medical interventions respond to growing health needs in Syria and form part of Qatar Charity’s efforts to ease the suffering of patients who cannot afford treatment. The project provides specialized surgeries designed to save lives, restore sight and hearing, and help patients recover their health and return to normal life.
The current phase includes 750 cataract surgeries, along with medical eyeglasses for beneficiaries; 70 surgeries to treat congenital heart defects in children; 10 open-heart surgeries; and six cochlear implant procedures. More than 830 patients from the governorates of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Idlib are expected to benefit from the project.
H.E. Ambassador Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said that implementing these specialized medical surgeries from Damascus reflects the depth of the fraternal ties between the Qatari and Syrian peoples. He added that the initiative underscores the commitment of the State of Qatar and its leadership to standing by the Syrian people and supporting the health sector at this stage.
He said: “What Qatar Charity is providing today, in cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Health, through specialized surgeries that restore hope to hundreds of patients and their families, is an extension of a well-established humanitarian approach and a model of Qatari charitable work whose impact reaches the most vulnerable groups wherever they are.”
Issam Dabbab, Director of Qatar Charity’s Office in Syria, said the medical interventions reflect Qatar Charity’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable patients whose financial circumstances have prevented them from accessing treatment. He noted that many of the surgeries planned under the project represent the only hope for saving patients’ lives or improving their quality of life.
Wael Daghmash, Director of the Damascus Health Directorate, said: “At the Ministry of Health, we believe that effective humanitarian partnerships are a key pillar in strengthening health services, especially under the current circumstances. We highly value this generous support, which helps ease the burden on patients unable to afford treatment and strengthens the health system’s capacity to respond to citizens’ needs.”
The surgeries are part of the “Defaa Balaa” campaign, which Qatar Charity launched globally on the 27th night of the blessed month of Ramadan. The campaign aims to support patients who cannot afford the cost of surgeries in several countries. Its implementation in Syria is a direct response to growing medical needs and supports health sector efforts to provide specialized care to the most vulnerable patients.
Through this initiative, Qatar Charity reaffirms its commitment to advancing its humanitarian work in the health sector by providing specialized treatment for the most vulnerable groups and strengthening partnerships with national health authorities. The project will help alleviate patients’ suffering and restore hope, particularly for children, for whom specialized procedures such as heart surgeries and cochlear implants can represent a life-changing opportunity.