For the first time in 13 years, Dr. Mufaddal Hamadeh was walking through the streets of Damascus without fearing arrest.
Long barred from the country because of his humanitarian work, he recently returned to his homeland on a mission to help rebuild the country’s shattered health care system.
Now back in Chicago, Hamadeh, an oncologist, had been in Syria on a mission with the Syrian American Medical Society to deliver urgent care and help rebuild hospitals in war-torn regions.
“Syria’s medical system is in ruins,” Hamadeh said last week . “Years of war, corruption and sanctions have left hospitals without even the most basic supplies.”
Over the past decade, Syria’s medical infrastructure has been in shambles due to years of conflict, government mismanagement and international sanctions. Hospitals lack essential supplies like oxygen, fuel, and basic medications, leaving millions without adequate care.
SAMS, founded by Syrian American doctors in response to the country’s civil war, has expanded into an international nonprofit providing critical medical aid. On this latest mission, which ran from Jan. 24 to Feb. 9, Hamadeh and a team of 22 doctors — many from Chicago — worked to deliver urgent care, repair hospital infrastructure, and train health care workers.
For Hamadeh, this mission was deeply personal. Born in Syria, he moved to Chicago as a child and then returned to Syria for 20 years. He completed his medical training in Damascus before relocating back to the U.S.
But he was unable to go back to Syria after that — his work with the Syrian American Medical Society prevented him from returning for over a decade due to restrictions on humanitarian workers imposed by the Syrian government.
With the collapse in December of the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad, that all changed. Wandering free in Damascus was “an overwhelming experience,” said Hamadeh, who practices in Orland Park and lives in Chicago.
“For the first time in 13 years, I felt a sense of freedom and hope,” Hamadeh said. “One of the most emotional moments was returning to Damascus University, where I studied medicine 42 years ago. It reinforced my commitment to SAMS and to rebuilding Syria’s health care system.”
The team performed surgeries, helped treat trauma patients, and set up training programs for Syrian medical professionals. They also launched new programs in oncology and cardiovascular care to address long-neglected needs.
“We conducted cardiac catheterizations and provided stents for patients who had been waiting months — some even years — for proper treatment,” Hamadeh said.
Syria’s health system has been battered by years of armed conflict, and public health concerns are escalating amid the crisis, according to the World Health Organization. With over 16.7 million Syrians in need of assistance, the country’s deteriorating health care infrastructure is failing to meet even the most basic medical needs. Many hospitals in government-controlled areas require extensive aid, as these regions have received far less international support compared with northern Syria.
Hospitals in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus benefited from emergency aid, while Syrian medical students received hands-on training in specialized procedures. SAMS also set up simulation labs to teach critical care techniques.
“We found that areas under regime control needed significantly more help than the north and northwest, which we were already assisting,” said Hamadeh. “This mission was medical, but we are also working to expand our efforts into recently liberated areas.”
While SAMS focuses on immediate medical relief, the long-term goal is to establish permanent health care centers across Syria, particularly in recently liberated areas with little access to care. However, funding challenges pose a major hurdle.
“USAID funding is currently suspended, and overall international aid has been declining,” Hamadeh said. “We are working on securing other sources, but continued support is crucial.”
Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful.
“The people of Syria, especially young doctors and medical students, need to know they are not alone,” Hamadeh said. “Through SAMS, we are not only delivering aid but helping rebuild a health care system that can sustain future generations.”