Syria: Overburdened health services and overcrowded host centres

When renewed clashes in mid-July 2025 forced thousands of people in Sweida governorate, Syria, to flee their homes, many families believed it would be a short displacement. Eight months later, there is increasing pressure on host communities and overstretched health facilities that were already struggling to function.

“When we first arrived to this hosting center, people here provided for us, but the burden is too heavy,” says Majeda, 59, who fled her home in Al-Majdal village in the western countryside of Sweida, and is now living in a hosting center in Shahba City. “We need food and medications, we need everything.” she adds.

Between April and June, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) had already identified critical healthcare needs in Sweida. When violence escalated in July, MSF launched an emergency response, supporting hospital and medical facilities with medical supplies and fuel, as well as distributing hygiene and kitchen kits to displaced families.

Years of conflict have severely weakened Syria’s health system and deepened economic difficulties, and deteriorating conditions are putting more pressure on an already overburdened health system and on local resources.

There must be more action to bridge the gap between the needs of the community and the capacity of available services. ​ Delivering essential assistance, including medical care, shelter, and relief items, is crucial to easing the hardships faced by displaced families and the communities that are hosting them.

Prolonged displacement and mounting needs

Located in southern Syria along the border with Jordan, Sweida governorate is home primarily to Syria’s Druze community, alongside Bedouin tribes and smaller Christian and other minority groups. Although the governorate was relatively spared from the widespread destruction seen elsewhere in Syria after 2011, years of economic decline, weakened public services, and growing insecurity have steadily eroded stability. Access to healthcare has become increasingly limited due to shortages of medical staff, essential medicines, equipment, and electricity.

In mid-July 2025, armed clashes escalated across urban and rural areas, including along key routes linking Sweida to Damascus and Daraa, triggering waves of displacement. Families fled to collective shelters or hosting centers, often leaving behind homes, documents, livestock, and livelihoods.

The armed violence has compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities. Health facilities in Sweida have already been struggling to cope with increased demand while receiving limited supplies and operational constraints.

“There is a clear gap between the scale of needs and the assistance available,” says Farah Nasser, MSF’s medical coordinator in Sweida. “Only nine out of 91 primary healthcare centers are fully functional, and the four hospitals existing in Sweida are partially functional. Our priority is to reduce mortality and complications by ensuring access to free, quality healthcare for displaced people and host communities.”

The psychological toll

The mental health of displaced people is one of the most pressing concerns in the response. Constant displacement, trauma from violence, and uncertainty about the future have left many individuals struggling with stress, anxiety, and grief.

The psychological toll is heavy,” says Katarzyna Ciszewska, MSF’s mental health activity manager in Sweida. “Many displaced people have lost loved ones, witnessed violence, and had their entire lives uprooted. The need for psychosocial support is urgent, as people are carrying heavy emotional burdens, and without support, it's harder to begin rebuilding their lives. What inspires me is the unique level of community support. People stand together, care for one another, and do not hesitate to help. It is crucial for those who have experienced traumatic events to know that they are not alone.”

As humanitarian funding declines and needs continue to rise, many families remain without adequate shelter or sustained access to essential services.

“We just want to return home,” 40-year-old Muneera hugs her son Ammar and says “We want to go back home with our children, and to feel safe again. We want our life back.”

In Sweida, displacement has imposed severe hardships on families and communities, but it has not diminished their hopes. For thousands of families, the dream of returning home endures, and continued international support will be essential to help them return safely and with dignity.

From emergency response to sustained support

MSF launched its response in Sweida in collaboration with the Sweida Directorate of Health, to strengthen and stabilize local health services. Support includes providing medical supplies, fuel donations to ensure facilities remain operational, rehabilitating the emergency room at Sweida National Hospital and sections of Arman and the Second Training PHCCs, as well as offering staff training and incentive payments to health workers.

In addition to medical activities, MSF has distributed hygiene and kitchen kits to displaced families to help meet urgent basic needs.

“Many families fled their homes with nothing, so by distributing hygiene and kitchen kits, we simply provide essential support to displaced families in camps and host centers,” says Osama Noueira, MSF’s logistics manager in Sweida.

MSF’s work in Sweida

Since late November 2025, MSF has supported primary and secondary health care facilities in Sweida and Salkhad districts, including the Sweida National Hospital. Support has included medical supplies, staff incentives, infrastructure upgrades, including a solar system at Arman PHCC, capacity-building, and integrated mental health services for displaced people. MSF has also provided essential relief items and fuel donations to Sweida Directorate of Health to keep health services running in the governorate. Between late November and early January 2026, MSF’s support enabled over 2,300 consultations for patients at primary care centers and nearly 9,000 at the hospital’s emergency room, helping meet urgent health and basic needs in the region.