Access to health care remains a challenge in Sweida, Syria: WHO
Health facilities in the Syrian city of Sweida are under immense strain, with staff operating in extremely difficult conditions, while access to healthcare remains a challenge.
That assessment comes from Dr. Christina Bethke, acting representative for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria, speaking on Friday from the capital Damascus to journalists at the UN in Geneva.
Recent deadly sectarian violence in Sweida has displaced more than 145,000 people, including into neighbouring Dar’a and Rural Damascus governorates.
Dr. Bethke said the city’s hospitals are facing shortages of staff, electricity, water, and basic supplies. Sweida’s main hospital was overwhelmed, and earlier this week the morgue reached capacity.
WHO has confirmed five attacks on healthcare, including the killing of at least two doctors, the obstruction and targeting of ambulances, and the temporary occupation of hospitals.
Dr. Bethke described these incidents as “deeply concerning.”
“We know healthcare must never be a target. In fact, health facilities, patients and health workers must be actively protected. Ensuring that doctors, nurses, and supplies reach people safely isn’t just vital for saving lives; it’s responsibility under international law that all sides must uphold.”
Although access to Sweida remains limited, WHO has been able to deliver vital supplies to health facilities in Dar’a and Rural Damascus—including trauma supplies, essential medicines, and hospital support.
Sudan: UN agencies urge support for 1.3 million returning home
Three UN agencies are calling for greater support for people displaced by the war in Sudan who are now returning to their homes.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR; the International Organization for Migration (IOM)and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) made the appeal on Friday following a visit by their regional directors to the capital, Khartoum.
Even as fighting between rival militaries persists across Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged. As a result, over a million internally displaced Sudanese have been heading back to their communities.
Furthermore, some 320,000 people who fled Sudan have returned since last year, mainly from Egypt and neighbouring South Sudan.
Displaced people are going back to three states – Khartoum, Sennar and Al Jazirah – where the impact of more than two years of war is immense.
The UN agencies said that at a time when humanitarian operations are massively underfunded – both inside Sudan and in countries hosting those who fled – financial support is needed.
International Day celebrates women and girls of African descent
This Friday, 25 July, marks the first-ever International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent, following a declaration last year by the UN General Assembly.
It recognizes their immense contributions to society but also acknowledges the persistent challenges they face.
Although woman and girls of African descent embody strength, resilience, and untapped potential, they remain among the most marginalized groups globally due to the intersection of racial, gender, and socio-economic discrimination.
For example, they suffer alarming maternal mortality rates, according to the UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA. Oftentimes, cases are not related to income or education, but rather to racism and structural inequality rooted in a legacy of slavery and colonialism.
UNFPA advocates for stronger health systems and investment in midwifery programmes, culturally sensitive training for healthcare providers and improvements in data collection.
The agency also invests in partnerships such as an initiative involving traditional midwives in the Pacific region of Colombia, home to large communities of people of African descent.
Dianne Penn, UN News.
Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved.
