SAMS Continues to Expand Lifesaving Care Across Syria This September
Washington, D.C. – September 19, 2025 – This month, 45 U.S. based physicians and healthcare professionals with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) will be on the ground to deliver essential medical care, education, and mentoring opportunities, to help restore Syria’s fragile healthcare system and stand alongside the resilient Syrian communities.
From September 20–25, SAMS volunteers, led by Chicago native Dr. Bassel Atassi, will deploy to hospitals and clinics in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Idlib, and Deir ez-Zor, where the healthcare system is at its weakest. During this weeklong mission, they’ll provide lifesaving cancer consultations, surgical services, pediatric consultations, and educational lectures/workshops in cardiology, OB-GYN, neurology, family medicine, ophthalmology, pediatrics, and psychiatry.
“Our September mission demonstrates SAMS’s ongoing efforts to deliver high-quality urgent medical services to Syria’s most vulnerable,” said SAMS President, Dr. Aref Rifai. SAMS is dedicated to providing essential medical care and rebuilding Syria’s healthcare infrastructure, which has been severely impacted by over a decade of conflict. Through a combination of direct clinical services and capacity-building initiatives, SAMS aims to strengthen the resilience of Syria’s healthcare system and support the communities affected by the crisis.
About the Healthcare Crisis
According to the United Nations OCHA, Over 16.5 million people, more than 70% of the population, urgently need humanitarian assistance. SAMS missions are vital not just for immediate care, but for rebuilding Syria’s fragile healthcare system through clinical training, mentorship, and lasting support.
For media inquiries, please contact:
media@sams-usa.net
+1 (202) 930-7804
www.sams-usa.net
See our SAMS Press Kit for more information about our lifesaving work.
