The Syrian Future Movement is closely following the announcement made by the Syrian Minister of Finance on October 10, 2025, which included a roadmap for reforming the country’s health insurance system. We consider this announcement a first step toward addressing one of the most sensitive and impactful issues affecting Syrians’ lives: healthcare and equal access to it.
In light of what was stated in our March 2024 reference paper, “The Syrian Future Movement and Health Development,” we emphasize that health system reform cannot be achieved in isolation from a comprehensive national vision based on humanitarian principles and international conventions, and translated into practical policies that guarantee dignity and justice for every citizen.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that health insurance is an indivisible human right. The right to health, as stipulated in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, is a right that cannot be measured by financial capacity or tied to geographical location. No Syrian citizen should be left at the doorstep of a hospital, facing pain or death due to their inability to pay. We believe that health insurance must be a right guaranteed to all Syrians, without discrimination or exception.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the minister’s statement comes at a time when the health system is suffering from a severe deterioration in infrastructure, a shortage of personnel, and an unequal distribution of services. Announcing a roadmap at this time is of paramount importance and reflects an official recognition of the need for reform. However, it requires genuine political will, transparent implementation mechanisms, and broad community participation to ensure its success.
We, in the Syrian Future Movement, warn that this roadmap should not become a mere formality that does not address the essence of the crisis. True reform begins with combating corruption, developing oversight mechanisms, and ensuring the independence of health institutions, along with improving the working conditions of medical personnel and providing essential medicines and supplies. Therefore, we, in the Syrian Future Movement, demand that the reform process be participatory, including medical unions, civil society organizations, and human rights organizations, to ensure true representation of citizens’ interests and avoid unilateral decisions that are often far removed from the reality on the ground.
As stated in our reference paper, the Syrian Future Movement seeks to build an integrated health system that includes health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and care. It works to promote the deployment of small health units in cities, villages, and rural areas, and to equip hospitals and clinics with the latest equipment, in cooperation with experienced international organizations.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that reforming the health insurance system is a true test of the state’s commitment to its responsibilities towards its citizens and its respect for the international conventions it has signed.
We will continue to closely monitor these reforms and support every serious step toward building a fair, comprehensive, and sustainable health system that places Syrians at the heart of national policies.
