American Doctors Return From Medical Mission In Conflict-Affected Syria

Doctors treated life-threatening conditions, provided specialized care, and delivered critical training to local healthcare providers.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, 24 Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) volunteer doctors from the United States returned from a week-long medical mission to northwest Syria, where they provided life-saving medical care and specialized training to local healthcare providers. From September 15-20, 2024, the volunteer physicians conducted a wide range of medical interventions, including complex cardiac procedures, oncological and retina surgeries, pediatrics subspecialty clinics and intensive care consultations, impacting thousands of lives in a region devastated by conflict and last year’s disastrous earthquake.

SAMS Member and group leader of the mission, Dr. Bassel Atassi, an oncologist of Chicago, who completed the week-long mission in northwest Syria, shared, “During our mission, we carried out 277 surgeries and provided 1,367 consultations. Our focus was not only on treating patients but also on training local doctors in pathology, cardiology, and oncology and other essential practices to help them treat and local refugees. The knowledge transfer was crucial in ensuring that the impact of our work extends far beyond our time on the ground”

“This mission represents the unwavering commitment of our volunteers to provide life-saving care in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable,” said SAMS’ President Dr. Mufaddal Hamadeh. “We are proud of the medical impact made and the meaningful training and collaboration with local healthcare providers that will continue to benefit the region long after our departure. The resilience and courage of the people we serve inspire us to continue our vital work in Syria and beyond.”

The mission included a diverse array of medical services and training initiatives aimed at bolstering local healthcare capacity. Highlights included:

  • Pediatric and Adult Cardiology: Conducting echocardiograms, pacemaker implants, and catheter-based interventions for pediatric patients and performing adult cardiac surgeries, including coronary artery bypass grafting and valve surgeries.
  • Oncology: Performing major surgeries in urological, gastrointestinal, and gynecological oncology while providing oncological consultations and training at SAMS-supported oncology centers.
  • Specialized Consultations and Procedures: Retinal specialists performed vitrectomies and laser procedures, while intensive care specialists led ICU rounds and critical care consultations.
  • Training and Education: The mission delivered hands-on training, crash courses, and a 2-day Pediatric Scientific Conference, focusing on pediatric specialties, benefiting over 200 general pediatricians in northwest Syria.

Syrians and refugees are still recovering from the earthquake that struck the border area in February 2023, but life is improving thanks to the work of SAMS and its countless volunteers and 2,400 staff in the region—nearly half of whom were displaced by the disaster.

For more information, contact:
Blaine Heck / 201-314-9506 / 383715@email4pr.com

About SAMS:
SAMS is a nonprofit, non-political organization that works on the front lines of crisis relief, providing medical and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable in Syria, its neighboring countries, and beyond. Last year, SAMS provided lifesaving medical services to 3.6 million people. For more information about SAMS, go to www.sams-usa.net.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-doctors-return-from-medical-mission-in-conflict-affected-syria-302255719.html

SOURCE Syrian American Medical Society

Staff

Recent Posts

Nicole Garrett and Under Pressure Hyperbarics Lead the Charge in Wellness Education With Immersive Events at L.A. Fashion Weekend and Beyond

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA / ACCESSWIRE / November 21, 2024 / Nicole Garrett, CEO of Under…

1 hour ago

Beacon Healthcare Systems Expands Leadership Team with Addition of Ayman Mohamed as Chief Technology Officer

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacon Healthcare Systems, is pleased to announce…

4 hours ago

Talkiatry Ranked Number 6 Fastest-Growing Company in North America on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500™

Attributes Revenue Growth to Innovative Partnerships, Strong Team, and Unique Value-Based Care Model NEW YORK,…

4 hours ago

Bright Light Imaging Leverages Alpha Nodus’s Gravity Auth, Enhanced by Integration with ADS’s MedicsRIS, to Streamline Patient Care

Automation That Makes a Difference SUNRISE, Fla., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes…

4 hours ago

United Imaging Announces the First of Several New U.S. Product Launches For RSNA

The first uMI Panvivo in the world lands at the growing Pueblo Medical Imaging in…

4 hours ago