With funding from Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is implementing a project to build the capacity of health workers in northern Syria under the Quest Health 2020 initiative.

Recently, examinations were held at the Academy of Health Sciences in northern Syria upon the completion of a training programme to build the capacity of local medical professionals, to be qualified to provide specialised healthcare services for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities.

The project involves several components to support the health sector in the region with qualified medical professionals, as follows:

1. To educate new students in three medical specialties: nursing, emergency and physiotherapy. Currently, there are 130 students at the academy (including 59 students in the first year and 71 in the second year).

2. To train 20 graduate physicians under the medical residency programme in cooperation with the Syrian Board of Medical Specialties in northern Syria. Hosted by eight university hospitals and training centres, the training covers 12 medical specialties: gynaecology, paediatrics, neonatal intensive care unit, ophthalmology, cardiothoracic surgery, general surgery, urology, internal medicine, anaesthesiology and ENT.

In addition, there are 40 trainers and supervisers to mentor 20 physicians under residency programmes, to be covered by the project for two years, QRCS has said in a statement.