Deaths and deteriorating health attributed to medical errors or negligence in several Syrian cities have put medical liability back in the spotlight, as affected families call for accountability and legislative reforms. The Damascus Medical Association recorded 182 complaints related to medical errors in 2025, along with 53 more in the first months of 2026.
Two deaths and a critical case
In Aleppo, Joudi, 33, died after falling into a coma lasting a week following cerebral edema after undergoing cosmetic surgery at a private hospital in May 2026. Her husband, Tawfiq Qatash, said her wound bled after a second operation and that her hands and neck turned blue before she fell into a coma. He called for those responsible among the medical staff to be held accountable. The available information did not include a final medical or judicial investigation establishing responsibility for her death.
In Damascus, Hadeel Atiya, 30, died during a hysteroscopy. Her husband, Fahd al-Muhammad, said speculation initially pointed to an excessive dose of anesthesia before a medical committee announced that the ventilator had malfunctioned during the procedure, cutting off her oxygen supply and causing cardiac arrest due to hypoxia. Her husband held the hospital staff, the doctor and the medical team responsible for what he described as negligence.
In Deir ez-Zor, the health of a young woman named Samaa deteriorated after she underwent laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, and she was transferred to Damascus in critical condition. Her father said abdominal pain and swelling began five days after the operation, followed by a fever and a worsening condition. He called for justice for his daughter and for people in similar cases.
Three liability pathways
Ahmad Ibrahim, chief adviser at the Syrian Center for Legal and Strategic Consultations, said Syrian legislation contains no special, independent law on medical errors. He explained that the Medical Professions Practice Law, issued by Legislative Decree No. 12 of 1970 and amended by Law No. 8 of 2008, regulates administrative controls and professional requirements without setting specific criminal penalties for errors resulting from negligence or lack of due caution.
The second pathway concerns civil liability and compensation under Articles 164 and 165 of the Civil Code, which may require the doctor or hospital to compensate the injured person or their relatives for material and moral damages when fault is established. The third is professional liability before the association's disciplinary boards. Penalties range from a warning to removal from the association's register and cancellation of the professional license in serious cases.
Ibrahim said a doctor is not legally liable merely because a patient does not recover, since the doctor's obligation is to provide care consistent with scientific standards. The doctor is liable, however, if negligence or failure to provide the required medical care is established.
Efforts to develop the legislative framework
In July 2026, Damascus hosted a specialized workshop on medical liability under Syrian law, attended by the ministers of justice, higher education and scientific research, and health. The workshop examined ways to reduce medical errors and prove them in court, the role of medical expertise, and the development of the legislative and institutional framework to balance the rights of patients and medical personnel.
Health Minister Musab al-Ali described liability for medical errors as one of the most sensitive and complex issues, stressing the need to unify concepts, develop assessment tools and establish references clarifying responsibilities. He expressed hope that the workshop would produce practical, scientifically grounded and implementable recommendations that would help develop the regulation of medical liability in Syria.
