السعودية وسورية توقعان مذكرة تفاهم صحية وتدشنان الربط الرقمي

Minister of Health Fahd Al-Jalajel and his Syrian counterpart Dr. Musab Al-Ali signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday (Sunday) at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh to enhance health cooperation between the two countries. The memorandum included areas such as strategic health planning, rehabilitation of the health system, public health, preventive medicine, and health security, in addition to therapeutic health, emergency management and health disasters, e-health and digital transformation, and health investment, as well as training and developing human resources and organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops.

Al-Jalajel confirmed that the signing of the memorandum represents the beginning of a new phase of health cooperation, explaining that it included multiple areas of cooperation in healthcare, public health, and the rehabilitation of health personnel and the development of their capabilities, in addition to cooperation in the field of e-health. He added that the launch of the "Virtual Health" project took place in the presence of the Syrian Minister of Communications Abdul Salam Haykal, and a connection was made with a hospital in Damascus, which witnessed a discussion between two medical teams specializing in cardiology regarding the first joint medical case, reflecting the effectiveness of the project and its direct impact on serving patients.

For his part, the Syrian Minister of Health expressed his happiness with his first official visit to Riyadh, noting that previous meetings with his Saudi counterpart in Geneva paved the way for these practical steps. He clarified that the launch of the digital connection with "Virtual Health" represents a transition from a phase of promises to a phase of actual implementation, with direct follow-up from the leaderships of both countries and their keenness to enhance health services for citizens.

Al-Ali pointed out that Syria is facing significant challenges in its health sector, whether at the level of infrastructure or a shortage of equipment. However, cooperation with Saudi Arabia will contribute to raising the efficiency of the health system and providing more comprehensive and transparent medical services, especially in peripheral areas, through direct supervision from central medical centers and linking them to the pioneering Saudi experience in virtual medicine, which has won international awards.

He emphasized that the medical discussion regarding the first case between Damascus and Riyadh reflects the seriousness of the cooperation and opens new horizons for providing remote health services, stressing that the goal is to overcome current challenges and look to the future to achieve a qualitative leap in the Syrian health sector with the support of the partnership with Saudi Arabia.