Ten years of conflict have gutted Syria’s healthcare system.
Seventy percent of Syria’s health care professionals fled as refugees. Half of the public hospitals and health care centers were partially or completely destroyed. Medical supplies are very difficult to obtain.
On top of that, as many as 90% of the remaining population (one-third of Syria’s people left the country since 2011) lives below the poverty line, earning less than $2 a day. Even if they can get access to medical care, they most likely cannot afford it.
And now COVID-19 is once again surging in Syria.
Christian medical care fills the gap
At this critical moment, a With Open Eyes donor funded a new initiative in Syria: Christian dental and medical clinics in a needy part of Damascus, a city that has suffered some of the worst ravages of the war. Through these clinics, up to 400 people will receive treatment each month. Many of these patients have not received any type of medical or dental care in months or even years.
Dental treatments will include surgeries, tooth extractions and restorations, and pediatric care, plus regular check-ups and preventative treatments.
The medical clinic will treat malnutrition (especially in children); provide support for people managing chronic health issues such as diabetes and hypertension; care for untreated injuries sustained in the conflict; help children who are experiencing hearing loss and loss of speech because of the war; and more. Gynecological care has been severely neglected during the war, so the clinic will make that an emphasis.
Patients will receive free treatment, as well as access to much-needed basic medical supplies, medicines, and equipment.
Clinics will support growth of Christianity in Syria
As people receive that medical and dental care they desperately need, the potential for spiritual outcomes is great as well.
The U.S. government estimates that only 10% of the Syrian population is Christian, while Americans for a Free Syria, an advocacy nonprofit, puts that number at 2.5% because so many Christians have fled during the civil war. Christians continue to face discrimination and violence, including kidnappings, at the hands of radical groups.
The new With Open Eyes clinics will support the growth of Christianity through their medical and dental care. Staff will give patients Bibles, Christian books, CDs, videos, and children’s materials. They will also offer to pray with every patient and refer them to the local church and small discipleship groups if they are interested in learning more about the Gospel.
Our ultimate aim is to see Syrians come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In the Middle East, where open preaching and evangelism are typically forbidden, the best way to introduce people to the Gospel is by meeting their needs in the name of Jesus.
The Lord has opened a door to do this in the heart of war-torn Syria.