HERNES - Health Recovery in North-East Syria

From 2013 to 2017, the north-eastern part of Syria has largely been captured by ISIS before being progressively retaken by the Syrian Democratic Forces. The high level of destruction caused by the anti-IS war has significantly affected the economic activity and access to essential services. As a result, communities in the North-East of Syria continue to face the long-term impacts of the intense hostilities and military operations that led to significant loss of life, destruction of essential services and civilian infrastructures, and over one million people being displaced.

In this context, Expertise France launched the HERNES programme (HEalth Recovery in North-East Syria) in 2019, to strengthen stability and resilience of populations affected by the conflict, by improving their access to healthcare.

The programme was co-funded by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the European Union in its two first phases (2019-2023). The third (2023-2024) and fourth phases (2024-2026), were funded by the Crisis and Support Centre of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

1. Access to quality health services: 16 healthcare infrastructures, including primary healthcare centres and hospitals were rehabilitated and supplied. They provided 1.2 million consultations since the beginning of the programme, 70% of which benefitted to women and children;
2. Improvement of health workers capacities through provision of in-service trainings, especially on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), for 2,000 health workers;
3. Coordination among health actors and harmonization of practices by leading the RMNCH working group, gathering NES health actors, harmonizing practices in this sector and leading operationnal researches.

In order to reach the objectives of the programme, Expertise France mobilizes experts in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), dialysis, supply chain and training of trainers to implement activities and support partners.