Syria: Renaming Hospitals and Universities to Remove Symbols of the Former Regime
December 25, 2024, 1:40 pm

Syria: Renaming Hospitals and Universities to Remove Symbols of the Former Regime

مشفى الأسد السابق

The Minister of Health in the interim Syrian government, Maher Al-Shar'a, has issued an important decision to rename 14 hospitals across the country, in a step aimed at restructuring the health sector and eliminating symbols associated with the collapsed regime. The names of the long-standing universities of Tishreen and Al-Baath have also been modified in this context.

A statement from the Minister of Health clarified that the decision was made "based on the directive from the general leadership to assign the Ministry of Health to manage the hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and in accordance with the public interest."

Among the most notable changes included in the decision is renaming the "General Authority of Al-Assad University Hospital" in Damascus to "The National University Hospital," as well as converting "Al-Baath University Hospital" to "Homs University Hospital." The name of "Basil Al-Assad Hospital" in Qardaha has been changed to "The National Hospital in Qardaha," and "Al-Basel Hospital in Sukhnah" to "The National Hospital in Sukhnah."

The amendments also affected hospitals in various regions, including Hama, Lattakia, Tartus, Sweida, and Deir ez-Zor, as part of an effort to renew the health structure away from the symbolism associated with the former regime.

The changes also included the renaming of hospitals such as "The General Authority of Al-Basel Heart Surgery Hospital in Damascus" to "Damascus Hospital for Cardiology and Heart Surgery," and "The General Authority of Al-Basel National Hospital in Aleppo" to "Aleppo Hospital for Cardiology and Heart Surgery."

In a related context, additional hospitals' names were modified, such as Quneitra Hospital, which is now referred to as "The National Golan Hospital," instead of "Martyr Mamdouh Abazah Hospital."

In another step towards reforming the medical system, Minister Al-Shar'a announced the cancellation of the "Year of Internship" that was added to the years of training for doctors, allowing them to practice their specialties more quickly. The decision also included granting a special opportunity to residents who have exhausted their chances of passing the Syrian Medical Specialties Board exams.

Additionally, the new administration in Syria announced the renaming of Tishreen and Al-Baath universities, with Tishreen University now being called "Lattakia University" and Al-Baath University renamed to "Homs University."

These measures come as part of the new Syrian government's efforts to erase the remnants of the former regime, starting with the removal of images of the former presidents Hafez and Bashar Al-Assad, following the takeover of the new government on December 8, and the flight of Bashar Al-Assad and his family to Russia, which granted them asylum for humanitarian reasons.

Syrian Journalists Association Calls for the Dissolution of the Regime-Run Journalists Union Following Its Call for a Media Meeting Israeli Conditions Hinder Reaching Agreement in Gaza

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”