Press Releases - UOSSM International

Trauma Training for Medical Professionals

During the month of March, UOSSM trained medical professionals on how to treat patients who have succumbed to casualties caused by explosions. The program, dubbed Emergency Management of the Wounded in Times of War, is especially important due to the increasingly dangerous conditions in the region. 

UOSSM Projects: Empowering Kids

UOSSM is supporting a program at its Maaret Alnoumaan Centre that is training teachers on utilizing different tools and techniques to assist and empower kids with special needs. The program is focusing on objectives such as cognitive training to advance kids’ self-esteem when it comes to their body image; independence training, which helps kids identify essentials of daily living, like kitchen utensils; as well as teaching kids how to differentiate between colors.

Ahmad's Story: Hope in The Face of Adversity

At only 10 years of age, Ahmad has already lived through obstacles and danger that very few people live in their lifetime. Despite losing his elder brother five months ago to an airstrike, and despite  living in the torn city of Allepo under constant missile fire, Ahmad’s smile has never left his face. His words have always been optimistic and the strength he possesses is unrivalled – even after falling victim to an explosion that lodged a sharpnell across his back. When Ahmad’s brother, Ismail, passed, Ahmad left school to help support his family and began working at a printing house. The morning of Feb. 27 – three months after starting his job— Ahmad noticed the sound of warplanes was unusually loud, he quickly hid under a table, and moments later he heard a large explosion coming from across the street. He recalls shrapnel and fragments were flying all over, and ultimately a piece of shrapnel lodged itself in Ahmad’s lower back. Paramedics quickly transferred the10 year-old to Bab al Hawa hospital’s pediatric unit, where he received proper care and has had several successful surgeries to treat his injury.  Ahmad is on the road to recovery and although there is still a long way to go, he remains optimistic and hopeful and his smile continues to light up the rooms of Bab al Hawa hospital.

UOSSM Projects: Using Theater as a Means of Psychological Intervention

In collaboration with REO & International Humanitarian Relief, UOSSM's Adan training center hosted a series of workshops focusing on improvisational psychological interventions to treat affected families in Lebanon. The course featured training involving improv theatre as a means of expression.

UOSSM Telemedicine Program

As the war in Syria approaches its 6th year, many civilians continue to loose their lives due to airstrikes and barrels. However, a significant number of civilians die due to lack of medical service. One vital part of the medical services is the establishment of medical intensive care units since most of type of injures are severe trauma ones (multiple organs injury, severe chest and traumatic brain injuries).  Continue reading

UOSSM Launches Nursing and Midwife Training Institute in Daraa

On January 2016, UOSSM launched its first medical training institute in southern Syria's Sayda, Daraa. The aim is to increase the number of medical professionals and the level of health services available in the area. UOSSM identified an urgent need for this as large numbers of medical professionals continue to flee from the area due to continued attacks. This critical program, supported by UOSSM-France, will run for 12 months with an annual budget of $110,400. The program aims to train 105 students by the end of 2016 which will result in significantly increased levels of medical services available to civilians in the area.

Mental Health Centre Opens in Gazientep

UOSSM is pleased to announce the opening of a new mental health centre in Gazientep on Dec. 28, 2015. This centre will provide psychosocial services free of charge to Syrian refugees. The centre also includes a team of professionals that deliver psychosocial services at different educational institutions in the area to help serve the needs of refugees who are not able to make it to the centre.

UOSSM Participates in Geneva Conference

UOSSM participated at the Protecting Hospital and Healthcare Workers Conference in Geneva on Dec. 11, 2015, hosted by UOSSM Switzerland. Alongside a presentation by UOSSM-Canada's Dr. Anas Al Kassem, four other medical relief organizations (SEMA, Sham, SAMS, PAC) also presented about the alarming attacks on healthcare in Syria and the extensive loss of medical infrastructure and medical personnel.  Continue reading

UOSSM launched the second HPF project in partnership with OCHA “Re- enablement of Syrian children with special needs and /or more significant psycho-social presentations”

The onset of the current crisis resulted in the flight of many professionals and drained capacity in the field of MHPSS .There is almost complete lack of proper psychosocial service (mainly, in areas not under government control). According to studies, surveys and clinical experience on the ground, 30 to 35% of children require further assistant, psychosocial support and/or more specialist intervention.   Continue reading

UOSSM completed the third phase of the ambulatory program in Obstetrics and Gynecology

The Union of Medical Care & Relief Organisations #UOSSM in partnership with Save the Children have completed the activities of the third training session of the ambulatory program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bab Al-Hawa Training Center. This is the third session within a specialized program to train female medical staff under the specialists' supervision. Continue reading