24/08/2026
It is with profound sorrow and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Dr. Safwan Al-Chalati, who for the last year and a half we were lucky to call our Medical Education Manager in our Syria Programme. Dr. Safwan was a remarkable individual and a symbol of sacrifice and dedication.
Dr Safwan fled the oppression of Assad's regime in Damascus to serve in the field hospitals of Aleppo. It was during this time that he was injured during a hospital strike by the regime, part of their campaign against medical facilities in Northwest Syria.
Despite his injuries and associated consequences, undeterred he continued his inspiring journey. He established the Syrian Board of Medical Specialties (SBOMS) in the areas out of the regime's control, rallying not only all remaining local specialists but also diaspora physicians to train specialist doctors whose education was interrupted. His work resulted in the graduation of at least two thousand specialized doctors, filling critical gaps in medical services.
Following the fall of the regime and the unification of medical boards, we had the privilege of welcoming Dr Safwan to Global Health Partnerships Syria team. The consequences of his injuries led to the deterioration of his health, which worsened in recent months, leading to his passing.
Dr Safwan’s legacy will continue, in the specialist doctors he helped to train, in the expertise he shared and the example of determination and strengthen he embodied. At GHP we will do all we can to honour his legacy in our on-going work .
We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all those who knew and cared for him, as so many of us did.
