Canadian Delegation Visits Syria Maternity Hospital
Human Appeal Canada hosted a parliamentary and humanitarian delegation at Al-Iman Hospital in Sarmada, Syria.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Islam
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A Canadian Parliamentary and Humanitarian Delegation visited Al-Iman Hospital in Sarmada, Syria, which Human Appeal Canada welcomed the group to. The hospital is the only maternity and neonatal hospital of its kind serving the area.
Why it matters
The hospital serves a population of approximately 1.5 million people and provides all services free of charge, relying entirely on donations rather than institutional funding. Its operation ensures mothers and newborns can access lifesaving care regardless of ability to pay.
Staff requested a new anaesthesia machine, an additional sterilizer, new surgical instruments and incubator repairs. The hospital's capacity to handle deliveries depends on these items being supplied.
The players
Human Appeal Canada
A Canadian humanitarian organization that welcomed the delegation and encouraged members to support long-term investment in Al-Iman Hospital.
UOSSM Canada
A Canadian medical humanitarian organization that led the delegation through Syria.
Rania Lawendy
Deputy CEO of Human Appeal Canada who welcomed the delegation to Al-Iman Hospital.
The details
The delegation was led by UOSSM Canada and travelled through Damascus, Tartous, Hama, Homs, Idlib and Aleppo before visiting Sarmada. Human Appeal Canada's Deputy CEO, Rania Lawendy, welcomed the delegation, and a baby was born shortly after their arrival at the hospital.
Timeline
Nov. 03, 2026: Delegation visits Al-Iman Hospital in Sarmada, where a baby is born on arrival.
For 14 years: Sarmada sheltered families displaced by conflict, many living in tents.
Roadmap
The hospital has relocated twice, and one earlier facility was bombed during the previous conflict, showing how conflict has repeatedly disrupted maternity care in northwest Syria. The visit positions the hospital's donor-dependent model as a continuing test of whether humanitarian support can sustain essential services in the region.
Readers wanting to support the hospital can consider donating to Human Appeal Canada's efforts, which fund the facility entirely. Donations sustain free 24-hour maternity and neonatal care for the approximately 1.5 million people the hospital serves.
The takeaway
Access to safe childbirth can depend entirely on donations where institutional funding is absent, and sustained support determines whether hospitals like Al-Iman can keep operating.
Further reading
Explore more on Islam for context on faith-based humanitarian work.
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