Nets donated to address rising rates of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Syria
MENTOR recently donated 2,728 long-lasting insecticidal nets to the Idleb Health Directorate, Syria to address the sharp increase in cutaneous leishmaniasis. Monthly reported cases have risen from around 2,500 to more than 5,000 in recent months. Southern Idleb remains among the most affected areas, particularly Ma’aret Al-Numan and Khan Shaykhun, where 2,628 new cases were […]
Project Brief: Strengthening vector-borne disease control and community health resilience in northern Syria
Vector-borne diseases, particularly cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, remain a critical public health threat in northern Syria due to conflict, displacement, weakened health systems, and poor environmental conditions.In the first half of 2025, over 6,000 cutaneous and 22 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in MENTOR-supported facilities, with the highest burden in Aleppo and Idleb governorates. People […]
Needs assessment in Ar-Raqqa to address health crisis
It is a critical time in Northeast Syria which is facing rising cases of diseases such as leishmaniasis, an endemic neglected tropical disease, alongside reduced healthcare services and resources because of funding cuts. A MENTOR team recently carried out an assessment in Ar-Raqqa Governorate to evaluate the situation and better understand the needs. The visit […]
NTD control in Syria
Over 93,000 homes and 51,600 temporary shelters across Aleppo and Idleb Governorates were sprayed with WHO-approved insecticide to address the high threat of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the region. MENTOR carried out the large-scale Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign in northwest Syria between May and September 2025 to protect more than 799,000 people, including many that have […]
New Vector-Borne Disease Units open in Syria
MENTOR recently opened two Vector-Borne Disease Units in Azaz and Idleb City as part of ongoing efforts to address the high rates of leishmaniasis in northern Syria. These unique units, funded by The Aid Fund for Syria, provide free diagnosis, treatment and essential medicines for patients, and coordinate wider prevention and care through 48 health […]
Research from spatial repellent trial in Syria published in BMC Medicine journal
Research from a trial evaluating the efficacy of Mosquito Shield™ spatial repellent in reducing cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in displacement camps in North-East Syria was published in BMC Medicine journal on 3 July. The results are significant and provide the first demonstrable impact of spatial repellents on cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission, particularly in fragile, humanitarian […]
Enhancing protection against vector-borne diseases in forcibly displaced communities: evaluating the efficacy of spatial repellents for cutaneous leishmaniasis control in North-East Syria
In Syria, during the 14 years after the outbreak of civil war, 16.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes, of which 7.2 million remain internally displaced in 2025. Breakdown in waste management caused by aerial bombardment has created ideal conditions for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission, vectored by phlebotomine sandflies. Displaced populations reside in […]
NTD control in northern Syria
Northern Syria continues to face one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally after more than a decade of conflict. This has led to a significant loss of life, widespread displacement and a strained health infrastructure. Despite these challenges, millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have settled in the region, putting pressure on an already […]
Emergency response in Syria following earthquakes on 6 February
The MENTOR Initiative in Turkey, Iraq and Syria remains fully operational, and has a decade of experience working across northern Syria, including those areas affected by the earthquake. Here, we co-ordinate and deliver large scale disease control, and support communities and healthcare facilities. In the past 48 hours, MENTOR has repurposed four mobile clinics and […]
Protecting millions of people in Syria from leishmaniasis
The MENTOR Initiative’s seasonal Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign to protect people from leishmaniasis in Syria was completed last month (May 2022). Teams sprayed 372,000 households in North-West and North-East Syria, to protect over 2 million people from this Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) which is transmitted by sandflies.Over 1 million people protected in this campaign […]