Jaheziya Syria Simulation Centre Pilot Launch At Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Field Hospital Advances Medical Training

The Syrian–Emirati Programme for Medical Readiness and Response has begun pilot operations at the "Jaheziya" Simulation Centre, based at Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Field Hospital in Syria. The centre delivers accredited clinical simulation training and aims to standardise emergency and disaster medicine skills for thousands of professionals across Syrian public and private hospitals.

The facility is the first simulation centre in Syria accredited by the European Centre for Disaster Medicine. It is designed as an integrated academic platform, using clinical simulation for both medical education and scientific research, and supports the Syrian Ministry of Health’s plans for continuous, high-quality professional training aligned with international benchmarks.

The Jaheziya Syria Simulation Training Centre operates within Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Field Hospital, which serves the Ghouta area and wide zones of Rural Damascus. The hospital covers almost one million residents and offers advanced medical services that include diagnostics, intensive care, laboratory support and pharmacy services.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Field Hospital has 135 beds, including 40 intensive care beds, and is equipped with radiology and CT scan units. These core services support both daily clinical operations and the hands-on training activities of the new simulation centre, which aims to link academic content with real clinical environments.

To organise key facility data and planned training reach, the following table summarises main figures released by programme officials.

The Jaheziya Syria Simulation Training Centre supports the broader Jaheziya Syria Programme, which seeks to expand specialised education in emergency and disaster medicine. The initiative aims to position the centre as a regional hub for simulation-based learning, serving healthcare staff from Syria and, over time, other neighbouring markets that require similar training capacity.

Programme leaders state that the centre trains multidisciplinary healthcare teams to manage incidents and emergencies based on recognised global standards. Training relies on clinical simulation, virtual reality and artificial intelligence tools, allowing staff to rehearse high-risk scenarios in a safe environment while following structured, competency-based learning pathways.

Emirati cardiac surgeon Dr. Adel Al-Shamry Al-Ajmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Zayed Giving Initiative, President of Emirates Doctors, and Chief Executive Officer of the UAE National Medical Readiness and Response Programme "Jaheziya", stated that the medical training centre includes a conference and lecture hall and six specialised training units simulating emergency departments, intensive care units, operating theaters, and anesthesia units, in addition to a command and control unit for Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Field Hospital.

According to programme plans, the centre is expected to qualify 10,000 healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. Training covers emergency medicine, disaster medicine, intensive care and surgery, with the objective of applying unified, accredited curricula so that staff in different hospitals across Syria respond to crises using consistent clinical and operational protocols.

Jaheziya Syria Simulation Training Centre accreditation and pilot phase results

The programme operates under Syrian Ministry of Health systems and regulations and remains supervised by Jaheziya Syria. Accreditation comes from the European Centre for Disaster Medicine and several American and European training institutions, which verify that course content, assessment methods and teaching staff meet recognised international requirements.

Dr. Al-Shamry reported that the official opening followed a one-month pilot phase. During this trial, more than 600 physicians, nurses and paramedics from Ministry of Health hospitals received training at the centre. Over 20 Syrian medical leaders also gained certification as trainers, qualifying them to run and oversee the specialised simulation programmes.

Syrian neurosurgeon and President of Syrian Doctors Dr. Asaad Sharaf Al-Din stated that the Jaheziya Syria Centre used lectures, workshops and specialised courses during the initial pilot operations. Live field drills in emergency and risk medicine were also held, which allowed participants to practise coordination, triage and treatment procedures under controlled conditions that simulated real incidents.

Within the same context, Syrian pediatric surgeon Dr. Iyad Baath, President of the Syrian Commission for Medical Specialties, emphasised the educational impact of the model. Dr. Baath said, "simulation-based education is considered one of the most effective forms of learning. Practical experiences implemented through integration and simulation as routine activities remain deeply embedded in trainees’ minds and allow specialists to draw inspiration for excellence in all its aspects."

The teaching staff at the centre includes senior experts from the UAE, Syria, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy and other countries. All are accredited by the European Centre for Disaster Medicine and the Jaheziya Academy, and deliver a unified training curriculum that focuses on practical emergency response skills and consistent clinical decision-making in critical situations.

As pilot operations conclude and formal training expands, the Jaheziya Syria Simulation Training Centre is set to support Syria’s healthcare system with structured preparedness programmes. By combining accredited curricula, modern simulation technologies and regional expertise, the centre aims to improve readiness for emergencies and disasters while strengthening clinical practice at Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Field Hospital and other connected institutions.

With inputs from WAM