UNICEF and Hama Health Directorate Launch Rehabilitation of Two Rural Health Centers

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Hama Health Directorate, has launched comprehensive rehabilitation works at the Kafrnabuda and Maan health centers in northern rural Hama. The initiative seeks to restore essential medical services to communities that have endured severe healthcare shortages following years of conflict and mass displacement.

Project Scope and Beneficiaries

Rehabilitation of the Kafrnabuda Health Center involves rebuilding and equipping ten clinical rooms across various specialties, with a projected service capacity of approximately 50,000 people from Kafrnabuda and surrounding villages. The Maan Health Center is undergoing full structural and interior restoration, with completion targeted by the end of May, after which it will serve more than 10,000 residents in the northern Hama countryside.

A Community in Medical Need

More than 3,400 families have returned to Kafrnabuda, yet they continue to face acute healthcare challenges. The existing voluntary medical point lacks medication and monitoring for patients with chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Skin diseases, allergies, and cutaneous leishmaniasis are spreading due to accumulated debris and the absence of a functioning sewage system. The nearest hospital, in the city of Suqaylabiyah, lies 20 kilometers away, placing a heavy burden on residents requiring urgent care.

Oversight and Funding

The project is jointly supervised by the Hama Health Directorate and a specialized studies firm contracted by UNICEF, which is providing full funding for both centers. The directorate is responsible for quantities management and expenditure oversight. According to the directorate's engineering department, delays in commencing works were attributable to administrative procedures with the organization rather than engineering obstacles or material shortages, though a limited labor supply in these remote areas has posed some logistical difficulty.

Full Services Upon Completion

Post-rehabilitation plans include recruiting new physicians and supplying both centers with medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and furnishings to enable a broad range of health services. The project forms part of a wider plan to rehabilitate health centers across rural Hama, with additional facilities in the Suqaylabiyah area, including the Zayzun center, scheduled for implementation in the near term.