A New Year’s Wish

I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year. For the first time in over a decade, we begin a New Year without Syria facing the daily grind of war. Its future is suddenly full of hope, albeit with many challenges ahead. So many Syrians, including SAMS Members and staff, are reuniting with their families in a reborn nation.

Our SAMS family is doing everything we can to support a peaceful and successful transition by filling urgent humanitarian gaps and planning for systematic improvements in Syria’s health sector. To help illustrate our plans, we’ve framed our efforts under Syria Health 2030, a vision grounded in three key phases:

• Providing Emergency Aid to address immediate humanitarian needs.
• Strengthening Healthcare Systems to ensure sustainable access to care and rebuild critical infrastructure.
• Establishing Medical Centers of Excellence to offer high-quality, innovative care and set new standards for healthcare delivery.

No doubt, the path is daunting given the virtual collapse of the failing health system. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from SAMS and Syrians over the past 13 years, determination—with a large helping of hope—can move mountains.

I am immensely proud that despite mass displacement and a disastrous earthquake, SAMS remained committed. Despite chemical-weapon attacks and the loss of 62 staff to airstrikes; and despite a lack of money, supplies, equipment, and trained personnel, we persevered, persisted, and never wavered.

In truth, we couldn’t stop. Too much was at stake. Every time I visited our staff and witnessed their hardship and suffering, I asked myself what more we could do. It never seemed to be enough. And today, I ask the same thing. But I’m filled with so much more hope.

We are already making a difference, and at 1,000 Members strong and with over 2,500 staff in Syria, I know we’ll prevail again and find ways to make a big difference in the provision of dignified, high-quality care for the most vulnerable and in building better tomorrows for millions. Because we must. Too much is still at stake.

On behalf of SAMS, I wish you and your family a New Year full of peace and joy. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mufaddal Hamadeh
SAMS President