MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Human Appeal Canada welcomed a Canadian Parliamentary and Humanitarian Delegation to Syria, which included a visit to Al-Iman Hospital in Sarmada, where a baby was being born as the delegation arrived — a powerful reminder of why this rare hospital exists: to ensure mothers and newborns can access safe, lifesaving care regardless of ability to pay.
Human Appeal Canada joined the delegation led by UOSSM Canada. Canadian charities, physicians and parliamentarians travelled through Damascus, Tartous, Hama, Homs, Idlib and Aleppo to witness humanitarian needs first-hand and to better understand priorities for recovery and long-term support.
The eight Members of Parliament on the delegation were:
Abdelhaq Sari, MP for Bourassa
Aslam Rana, MP for Hamilton Centre
Greg Fergus, MP for Hull–Aylmer
Iqra Khalid, MP for Mississauga–Erin Mills
Dr. Jacques Ramsay, MP for La Prairie–Atateken
Dr. Marcus Powlowski, MP for Thunder Bay–Rainy River
Salma Zahid, MP for Scarborough Centre–Don Valley East
Sameer Zuberi, MP for Pierrefonds–Dollard
Human Appeal Canada’s Deputy CEO, Rania Lawendy, represented the non-profit organization and welcomed the delegation to Al-Iman Hospital, which is supported by donor generosity.
Sarmada sits approximately two kilometres from the Turkish border. For 14 years, it sheltered families displaced by conflict, many living in tents. While some families are beginning to return home, the need for accessible healthcare remains urgent.
Al-Iman Hospital is the only maternity and neonatal hospital of its kind serving the area, supporting area with a population of approximately 1.5 million people. The hospital operates 24 hours a day, and all services are provided free of charge.
Key facts about Al-Iman Hospital include:
Capacity: 60 beds, 10 neonatal incubators and two operating rooms
Births: approximately 600–700 babies per month
Referrals: around 30 primary care clinics refer pregnancies and caesarean deliveries to the hospital
Resilience: the hospital in northwest Syria has relocated twice, and one earlier facility was bombed during the previous conflict
Al-Iman Hospital receives no institutional funding, relying entirely on donations to keep its doors open.
During the visit, Lawendy met a family whose experience underscored the stakes of accessible maternal care. In a hospital corridor, she noticed a woman crying — not because she had given birth herself, but because her sister had just delivered a baby boy by caesarean section.
Years earlier, the sister’s first child had died because she could not access the care she needed. Al-Iman Hospital had not yet opened. This time, she delivered safely.
“It’s literally between life and death, having a hospital there where people can actually get that free care,” said Lawendy. “We take it for granted in Canada. Even if you don’t have money, you’re never going to worry about being able to have a C-section or having a baby.”
Hospital staff also shared urgent equipment needs, including a new anaesthesia machine, an additional sterilizer, new surgical instruments and repairs to incubators.
Throughout the week, Human Appeal Canada and other participating organizations emphasized that Syria is moving from emergency response toward recovery — and that communities want the means to rebuild with dignity.
Human Appeal Canada encouraged delegation members to carry this message home and to support long-term investment in lifesaving services such as Al-Iman Hospital.
Human Appeal Canada thanked every donor who supports Al-Iman Hospital, helping ensure mothers and newborns can access safe care. The organization also expressed gratitude to UOSSM Canada and the Canadian Arab Congress for bringing the delegation together, and to the participating Members of Parliament for taking the time to witness Syria’s needs first-hand.
About Human Appeal Canada
Here for Every Human. Human Appeal is a non-profit organization working across the globe to strengthen humanity’s fight against poverty, social injustice and natural disaster. We aim to save and transform lives through the provision of immediate relief and the establishment of self-sustaining development programs.
