Photo essay
Reaching every child in Syria with a life-saving dose
Damascus, Syria, – This World Immunisation Week, under the theme “A Dose of Good News,” Syria is taking bold action to protect its children. Led by the Ministry of Health, and supported by UNICEF, WHO and Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance, a nationwide campaign is underway to reach 3.4 million children under five with l...
Press release
World Immunization Week 2025: UNICEF and WHO support Syria’s Ministry of Health-led campaign to reach 3.4 million children
21 April 2025, Damascus, – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are supporting a nationwide immunization campaign led by the Ministry of Health to mark World Immunization Week in Syria, running from 21 to 30 April....
Photo essay
Efforts continue to boost vaccination rates in Syria
Rural Damascus, Syria- , In 2024, the Big Catch-Up immunization campaign was launched by the Syrian Ministry of Health, supported by UNICEF, WHO, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to address the significant decline in childhood vaccination rates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign included two rounds in Ap...
Article
Ismail’s inspiring story: an immunization champion committed to protecting children’s health
As-Saan village, rural Hama , – “My role as a health worker was never just a career; it became a way of life and a mission that I continue to uphold even in retirement,” said Ismail, an 80-year-old health worker from As-Saan village in the As-Salamiyeh city of Hama governorate. He shared his story during the secon...
Press release
The Big Catch-Up: Syria rolls out initiative to reach millions of children missed during COVID-19 pandemic
23 July 2024, Damascus, -, , The Syrian Ministry of Health (MOH), supported by WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has launched the second round of Big Catch-Up vaccination activity this week. The Big Catch-Up is an initiative launched by global health partners in April 2023 to address the decline in chi...
Article
Building back immunity
Damascus, Syria -, Over a decade of conflict has forced many people to flee from their homes to safer areas. Recurring displacements coupled with the economic crunch and soaring prices have hindered children's and families’ access to basic healthcare services in the country. “Large numbers of mothers and children ...
Press release
Two million doses of oral cholera vaccines arrive in Syria
DAMASCUS, 29 November 2022, – Trucks carrying two million doses of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) arrived in Damascus, Syria, today. Since the outbreak was declared on 10 September, tens of thousands of suspected acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases have been reported in all governorates. “Both adults and children are at risk of contracting the disease, but children often bear…, Notes to Editors, UNICEF’s complete AWD kits include oral rehydration sol...
Article
Door-to-door visits to boost vaccination rates
Zita village, Al Qussair area, Homs, Syria, : Al Qussair town is located 38 kilometres southwest from the city of Homs. During the past few years, amid the ongoing conflict, many families have been forced to flee their homes. For children and families who have been displaced by conflict accessing healthcare servic...
Photo essay
Vaccines work
Vaccinating children is one of most cost-effective ways to protect their lives and futures. In Syria, half of the primary health care system remains offline. Two out of five sub-districts do not have functional primary health care facilities, forcing families to either delay vaccinations or take long trips if they...
Article
Equipping communities with information to stay safe
“To promote healthy behaviours and mitigate the harm from misinformation and disinformation, it is paramount to build trust and share accurate information with engagement of influential opinion leaders,” says Elnur Aliyev, Chief of Social and Behaviour Change at UNICEF Syria. The COVID-19 vaccination coverage in S...
Photo essay
No one is safe until everyone is safe
Unicef staff in a vaccine storage room More than three million doses of single-shot COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Syria, through the COVAX facility, at the end of January 2022. The vaccines, donated by the Governments of Italy and Spain, will help to increase the COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the country. elder woman receiving a vaccine by a…
Video essay
Italy donates more than three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Syria
More than three million doses of single-shot COVID-19 vaccines, arrived in Syria, through the COVAX facility, at the end of January 2022. The vaccine coverage in Syria is among the lowest in the world. The vaccines, donated by the Government of Italy, will give more Syrians the opportunity to get vaccinated. The Chief of Health at UNICEF Syria…