Aqrabat hospital in the province of Idlib, northwest of Syria, which carried out  the first heart surgery in the region, suspended the  work of the general surgery department and outpatient clinics.

In a statement released on 30 December 2019, Aqrabat hospital said that “ we would like to inform you that the outpatient clinics and surgery department will be completely halted, starting from 1 January 2020,” noting that only the emergency room will continue operating until further notice.

On 31 July 2018, the hospital performed the first heart surgery in northern Syria since the opposition took control of Idlib province,

The surgery was undertaken to remove the pericardium of a 15-year-old boy who came to the hospital complaining of dyspnea with exertion.

According to the statement, physical therapy department and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber will keep operating. Moreover, the patients who had surgeries in Aqrabat hospital can keep their follow-up appointments.

The hospital is located near the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, and it is considered one of the most important hospitals in northern Syria, alongside the Bab al-Hawa Hospital. 

The hospital specializes in orthopedic surgery. Many delicate surgical procedures were carried out in the hospital including a cranial bone grafting procedure performed for a 20-year-old patient. 

The hospital receives its  medical support from the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS).

SAMS provides medical services and substantial funding to most medical centers and hospitals in Idlib and its countryside in addition to the Swedish Medical Center.

The Idlib and Hama health directorates announced the suspension of the European-supported empowerment project after stopping support from the donor, which caused the interruption of salaries of medics last July.