Damascus Countryside, Aug. 3 (SANA)Health Minister, Musab al-Ali, on Monday inaugurated Douma National Hospital in Damascus countryside after it was rehabilitated and equipped by the World Health Organization (WHO) with funding from the Government of Japan.The hospital is expected to provide healthcare services to around 550,000 people in Douma and surrounding areas.Al-Ali described the reopening as an important step toward strengthening Syria’s healthcare system and expanding access to comprehensive medical services.He thanked the Japanese government for its support and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to upgrading healthcare infrastructure and providing the personnel and equipment needed to improve medical services.According to theMinistry of Health, the hospital consists of two buildings with a capacity of 40 beds, including eight for intensive care unit (ICU) and eight neonatal incubators.The first building is dedicated to women’s and children’s healthcare, maternity and delivery units, a neonatal intensive care unit, laboratories and radiology services.

The second houses the emergency department, operating theatres, an intensive care unit, outpatient clinics and diagnostic imaging facilities, including X-ray and ultrasound equipment.The reopening ceremony was attended by Damascus Countryside Governor Amer al-Sheikh, Japanese Assistant Foreign MinisterKeiichi Iwamoto, Japanese Chargé d’Affaires in SyriaAkihiro Tsuji, and WHO Representative in Syria, Dr. Caroline Clarinval.