Rehabilitation of the Al-Zahera Hospital at SARC’s Damascus Branch is aimed at enhancing access to health services for vulnerable people and to improve access to sustainable and quality health care through providing a range of preventive, curative and surgical health services for vulnerable communities living in and around Al-Zahra District including Damascus, Rural Damascus and the southern region of Syria.
Health Care Situation Analysis
The humanitarian needs far exceed the capacity of local authorities and the humanitarian response from the international community. Insufficient resources and limitations in access are worsened by the uncertain conflict environment, the limited public infrastructure, impacts of which are visible within the population.
The Plan
To date, SARC received hospital equipment comprising of a Medical Linear Accelerator valued at USD 1.5 million donated by private donors from United Arab Emirates and a Cardiac Catheterization, Magnetic Resonance and Mammograph at a cost of USD 3.6 million donated by the Japanese Government through WHO.
An assessment conducted by independent consultancy firm revealed that the hospital kitchen, established in 2005, requires massive refurbishment to be up to the required standard for the proposed interventions.
In addition, as the project is proposing the installation of specialized medical equipment in order to achieve the planned goals there is also, a need to capacitate existing and new staff in the proposed specialized medical disciplines.
The rehabilitation of the Al-Zahera Hospital is classified as a significant priority for SARC and the health interventions in the Al-Zahera district and SARC has been engaging various donors to secure the required fund to implement this top priority project.
The Project expected outputs are:
- Detailed design for the rehabilitation of Al-Zahera is provided.
- Hospital beds are supplied and installed
- Medical equipment to operate the Al-Zahera hospital supplied, installed and commissioned.
- The operational capacity of the SARC health staff strengthened
- Specialized technical health training provided
- Laundry facilities are refurbished
- Kitchen facilities are refurbished
Project Goal
The project goal is to improve access to sustainable and quality health care services, and enhance the institutional capabilities of the health systems in the Syrian Arab Red Crescent that seek to deliver free health services for all affected groups and vulnerable communities and meet the growing health needs according to the standards and fundamental guidance of the Ministry of Health.
improve the efficiency and quality of health care delivery in Damascus and beyond in the coming years.
Vulnerabilities resulting from access to health in Syria affects mostly women and children, hence the upgrading and rehabilitation of Al-Zahera hospital focusing on a model that ensures that the costs for healthcare of the most vulnerable will be covered through donor support and paying patients, through a concept that allows those who can afford the health services subsidizing those who cannot. This will increase access to health services to the most vulnerable populations which is in line with the SARC health strategy to improve accessibility and health outcomes of people at all levels in a sustainable manner.
The health services that will be provided by the AL-Zahera hospital comprise of a full range of primary, secondary and tertiary care services including Internal medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngology/otolaryngology, neurosurgery, ophthalmic surgery, orthopedic surgery, cardiac surgery and cardiac catheterization, nephrology surgery, dialysis, pediatric surgery, oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, and In-vitro-Fertilization (IVF).
Project Scope and Key Activities
The construction of existing structure began in 2005 and completed in 2008. SARC has been funding maintenance costs of the facility ever since it was commissioned.
The total cost for construction and maintenance at today’s prices amount to a total of USD 11,851,036. The objective of this project is to re-design the health facility of the Al-Zahera as per international standards and rehabilitate it according to the original design scheme, provide the necessary medical equipment and electromechanical systems to perform effectively. In addition, the project will also provide capacity building in the form of staff training in subjects that are conducive to enhanced health service quality.
The rehabilitated Al-Zahera hospital is envisaged to accommodate 97 beds in an area amounting to 12,360 m2 floor space, divided into 12 floor levels comprising of the following department:
- General Surgery
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Dialysis
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Radiotherapy department (linear accelerator).
- The ambulance and emergency
- In-patient
- Out-patient
- Laboratory
Partners:
- RCRC Movement partners
- UN Agencies
- Government of Japan support through WHO
- In cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Health
- Private donors from UAE and Kuwait Red Crescent.