The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved US$225 million in grant financing from the International Development Association to help Syria restore essential public services in its water and health sectors. The funding will support two new projects aimed at improving living conditions for around 4.5 million people across the country by strengthening access to safe water, sanitation, and quality healthcare services.
Years of conflict have severely damaged Syria’s infrastructure, particularly in the water sector. More than half of the country’s water supply systems and around 70 percent of wastewater treatment facilities have been destroyed or heavily damaged. As a result, water supply has dropped significantly, leaving more than half of the population without reliable access to safe water and sanitation, while per capita water availability has fallen well below international scarcity thresholds.
The health sector has also been deeply affected, with widespread damage to facilities, shortages of medical staff, and fragmented service delivery systems. Limited primary healthcare capacity and constrained public financing have increased reliance on out-of-pocket spending, while the existing hospital-focused model is no longer suited to current health needs. These challenges have significantly reduced access to quality and affordable healthcare.
According to the World Bank, restoring essential infrastructure and public services is critical to Syria’s recovery and long-term stability. Improved services are also expected to support social cohesion and help facilitate the reintegration of returning refugees and internally displaced people as part of broader national recovery efforts.
The larger share of the financing, US$150 million, will go toward the Syria Emergency Water Security and Resilient Services Project. This initiative will rehabilitate and climate-proof damaged water and wastewater systems in key regions including Idlib, Homs, Hama, and Damascus. It will also support emergency equipment procurement, improve wastewater treatment, and strengthen water resource management systems, including dam safety and climate information tools.
The remaining US$75 million will support the Syria Health System Recovery and Strengthening Project, which aims to restore primary healthcare services across 150 health centres nationwide. The project will focus on maternal and child health, nutrition, and essential care services, particularly for vulnerable groups such as internally displaced persons, returnees, and disadvantaged households. It will also enhance preparedness for disease outbreaks and strengthen public health systems to ensure more resilient and equitable healthcare delivery.
