Aula Abbara, MD, SAMS’ Provision of Healthcare in Greece: Our First Year (Presentation 1) and Defining and Managing Anti-Microbial Resistance in the Syrian Conflict (Presentation 2)
Dr. Aula Abbara is the Project Lead for the SAMS’ response in Greece, which provides primary healthcare to refugees. Dr. Abbara teaches healthcare workers in Turkey on topics related to infectious diseases as part of SAMS’s education programs. She is on the steering committee of the Syria Public Health Network and is an infectious diseases clinician in the UK.
Ali K. Abu-Alfa, MD, FASN, FASH, Ethics of Research on Refugee Populations
Dr. Ali Abu-Alfa is a Professor of Medicine, and Head of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at the American University of Beirut. He is the Director for the Human Research Protection Program at AUB, and for Research Affairs at AUB Medical Center. He joined AUB in 2010 after spending 2 decades at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, USA where he directed the Peritoneal Dialysis Program and the clinical trials program in nephrology.
M. Zuhdi Alimam, MD, FAAP, Childhood Asthma and Pediatrics Critical Care
Dr. Alimam is a Consultant, Pediatric Pulmonologist currently working at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Alimam graduated from Damascus University School of Medicine in 1990, received pediatric training at the Medical College of Ohio and completed a pediatric pulmonary fellowship at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Alimam has been actively participating in multiple scientific activities and serving in the institutional pediatric training & educational committees.
Muhammad Feras Aljundi, MD, Current Situations and Future Plans
Emaad Abdel-Rahman, MBBS, Depression in Chronic Kidney Disease
Dr Abdel-Rahman has been a nephrologist for almost 3 decades, and is currently Professor of Internal Medicine/Nephrology at the University of Virginia (UVA) in the United States. He is currently the director of the in-center hemodialysis unit at UVA, as well as the director of the home hemodialysis program and the kidney clinic. He has been involved in multiple clinical research initiatives, which resulted in more than 65 peer reviewed publications.
Adeeb Alshahrour, M.D., F.A.C.O.G Together, Building Women’s Healthcare for Syria
Dr. Adeeb Alshahrour, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at Saint George’s University, and has practiced in Indiana and Illinois since 2004. He graduated from medical school in 1994, and completed his training in Obstetrics and Gynecology from Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Through SAMS, Dr. Alshahrour has participated in numerous women’s health medical missions to Syria, Lebanon Jordan and Turkey.
Waseem Attar, DMD, Dental Care, Desperation to Inspiration, A Vision for the Future
Dr. Attar was a Clinical Associate at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1995 and attended Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 1992. He held his own private practice in Carlisle and Bedford, MA in 1999 and has completed an advanced training in Implant Dentistry at Tufts University from 2007-2008. Dr. Attar is a Diplomate of the American Board of Implantology and Implant Dentistry since 2011.
Mohammad Alyousef, MD Care of Renal Transplant Patients
Dr. Alyousef graduated from Aleppo Medical School in 2007, after which he specialized in internal medicine and endocrinology at the Syrian Ministry of Health hospitals in Damascus. After the Syrian crisis erupted, Dr. Alyousef started treating nephrology patients in his home governorate of Idlib with tele-health support from SAMS US and Europe based nephrologists. He currently runs a free clinic for kidney transplant patients, supervises care in three SAMS dialysis facilities, continues to work as an internist/endocrinologist, and is a co-author of a recent Lancet publication of the negative effects of siege on the outcomes of dialysis end stage kidney disease patients.
Muhammad Eyad Ba’Ath MD, MRCS, MSC, FRCS, EBPS, General and Pediatric surgery in Syria
Dr. Muhammad Eyad Ba’Ath graduated from the Aleppo University Faculty of Medicine in 1997. He finished his general surgery training at the Aleppo University Hospital from 1997 until 2002, then he started working in the U.K. in 2003. Dr.Ba’Ath worked at a number of renowned hospitals, such as Alder Hey and Royal Manchester Children. He received a master’s degree from University of Liverpool in child health and obtained a membership at the Royal College in 2003 and a fellowship at the Royal College in 2012. In 2014, he received the Best Candidate Award’s “European Board of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Ba’Ath spent a two-year fellowship in the United States at the Pediatric Endosurgery at the Children’s of Alabama and All Children’s Hospital. He is currently the head of pediatric surgery at Bab Alhawa Hospital in Syria.
Ehab Baydak, DDS, Challenges in delivering dental care during times of conflict
Dr. Ehab Baydak is a dentist specialized in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery; he completed his D.D.S in 2006 at Aleppo University and completed his professional residency in 2012 at Al Razi Hospital in Aleppo, Syria. He recently worked as a volunteer surgeon at M10 Field Hospital in Eastern Aleppo, saving lives amidst extremely challenging conditions. After being evacuated from Aleppo in December, Dr. Baydak is now continuing his mission of helping Syrian people in north of Syria.
Humam Dawood, DDS, Surgeon by default, Madamia Experience
Dr. Humam Dawood is an active member of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Health Committee and First Aid Squads. He received his degree in dentistry from Damascus University in 2011. Recently, he was the World Health Organization technical focal point in Rural Damascus. Prior to that, he was working as a field doctor in Damascus and Rural Damascus. Dr. Dawood was the head of al-Ghouta Hospital- Moadamyah from 2014 until he was displaced to Idlib in late 2016. Due to the lack of specialized physicians, Dr. Dawood performed hundreds of orthopedic surgeries and performed anesthesia on thousands of patients who were living under siege Moadamyah.
Farida, MD, Obstetric Emergencies
Dr. Farida, an OB/GYN, was the last remaining female obstetrician in besieged east Aleppo. Originally from Aleppo, she studied at Aleppo University and worked primarily at the largest trauma facility in East Aleppo, nicknamed ‘M2.’ During the siege she performed surgeries under extreme conditions, delivering babies with no electricity, successfully completing a cesarean section even as aerial bombardment sent pieces of the hospital’s crumbling ceiling into her patient’s abdomen. She witnessed and treated victims of chemical attacks, even completing a cesarean section in the midst of a chemical attack on her hospital. Dr. Farida played an instrumental role in training midwives and nurses in response to the shortage of medical personnel in the besieged city. Dr. Farida is the mother to one daughter with her husband Dr. Abdulkhalek.
Nabila Farooq, Recognition and Management of Common Psychiatric Disorders in Medical Setting
Dr. Nabila Farooq was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, and obtained her MBBS degree at Nawabshah Medical College, in Nawabshah, Sind. She finished her residency in General Adult Psychiatry at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Nabila Farooq is the medical director of Global Psychotherapy in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a practice providing compassionate care for the mentally ill. Dr. Farooq served as the director of the 32-bed inpatient unit for the Graduate Medical Education Program at Saint Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, MI.
Hussein Almussa, Breast Cancer Early Detection Center in Northern Syria
Hussein Almussa is the Executive Director at Kids Paradise, a Syrian NGO registered in Hatay, Turkey. Originally from Idlib, Syria, he has been working in humanitarian relief since the beginning of the Syrian conflict.
Fadi Al-Halabi, MD Syrian Health Workers in Lebanon: Opportunities and Challenges
Dr. Al-Halabi is a neurosurgeon and an MBA student at the Lebanese International University (LIU). He is the General Director of the Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs) in Lebanon, a Syrian NGO in Lebanon providing services to Syrian refugees in health, education and capacity building sectors, employing 320 Syrian employees in various projects. MAPS is an implementing partner for SAMS in Lebanon in various medical projects.
Mohamed Al-Hosni, MD Bubble CPAP
Dr. Al-Hosni completed his medical education and training at the Damascus University School of Medicine, the Medical-Surgical Hospital in Damascus, St. John Hospital & Medical Center, and Saint Louis University, School of Medicine. He is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Saint Louis University and the director of neonatal services at St. Mary’s health center. He has board certification with the American Board of Pediatrics and the Sub-Board of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, as well as a a fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP.
M. K. Hamza, PhD, LP, MSM, Building the Mental Health Bridge: Where We Are, Where We Need To Go and SAMS’ Perspective
Dr. M. K. Hamza is currently the Chairman of the SAMS’s Mental Health Committee. He is a Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lamar University Texas State System, a Forensic Neuropsychologist and director of the Neurobehavioral Clinic. His publications include over 200 refereed scholarly writings, presentations, and speeches delivered at a number of reputable organizations including medical, psychiatric, and legal conferences and meetings.
Mahmoud Hariri, MD, Medical Education in Syria
Dr. Mahmoud Hariri holds a Doctorate of Medicine, and a Master Degree from Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University. Dr. Hariri is a surgeon and former faculty member of Aleppo University Faculty of Medicine. He was the director of research for USSOM, and has just finished a Masters of medical education scholarship at Harvard University. He was involved in the medical education in Syria through Free Aleppo University and the Syrian specialty Board.
Bassem Hashash, CDP, MIS, Augmented Surgery
Bassem Hashash is the Managing Partner and the Regional Director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa Region of Proximie, an award winning augmented reality platform for surgeons. Founded in 2015, Proximie’s platform allows doctors to virtually transport themselves in to any operating room to guide, teach, train and support other surgeons and medical experts independent of any specific hardware.
Abdulbaset Ibrahim, MD, Aleppo Province: Health System Needs Assessment
Dr. Ibrahim studied at the University of Aleppo’s Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, and began to practice in hospitals of the Ministry of Health in 2001. In 2006, he graduated as a General Surgery Specialist, and worked in general surgery in hospitals in Aleppo and Manbej. He introduced laparoscopic surgery to the National Hospital of Manbej, where he worked in 2007. In 2010, he became the Head of Operations and has participated in numerous conferences and training courses over past years.
Rümeyza Kazancıoğlu, MD Crush Syndrome (Presentation 1), Care of the Syrian Dialysis End Stage Kidney Disease in Turkey (Presentation 2)
Dr. Kazancıoğlu is currently the president of Bezmialem Vakif University. She has worked in many fields of nephrology, mainly focusing on peritoneal dialysis teaching. Dr. Kazancıoğlu is an active member of the Turkish Society of Nephrology and also serves at the advisory board of the Turkish Kidney Foundation. She continues her work at Bezmialem Vakif University as a dedicated educator, and has served as a disaster relief coordinator locally throughout many earthquake relief efforts.
Maher Kedeh MD, Pediatric Care in Warzones
Dr. Kedeh graduated from Aleppo University Medical School in 2009, and completed his pediatrics residency at Aleppo University in 2013. Dr. Kedeh worked in pediatrics, in private practice, until 2015 when he became the Director of a SAMS-supported Pediatrics/Maternity hospital in Idlib City.
Aliaa Khidr, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP Swallowing Disorders in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Pathophysiology & Management
Aliaa Khidr, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP received her medical degree from University of Ain Shams in Cairo Egypt, her PhD from University of Wisconsin, Madison and Ain Shams University, and her Clinical Certificate in Speech Language pathology from the United States in 1998. She served as a faculty member of the Otolaryngology department in Ain Shams University, Cairo Egypt, the Otolaryngology department of University of Virginia as well as the Human services department in Curry School of Education, University of Virginia. Dr. Khidr focuses on teaching, patient care and research in adult voice and swallowing disorders.
Mazen Kewara, MD, Coordination with NGOs , UN Agencies, and the Humanitarian Community
Dr. Mazen Kewara is the Turkey Country Director of the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). Originally from Damascus, Syria, Dr. Mazen has a medical degree and PhD in vascular surgery from the University of Damascus and has worked in the Tishreen Hospital in Damascus. As Country Director, Dr. Mazen has overseen the growth and expansion of SAMS’s northern Syria programs, including supporting health workers, sponsoring hospitals, providing cross-border medical assistance, and training hundreds of doctors and nurses.
Redwan El-Khayat, MRCPsych, Mental Health Assessment of Needs, Current Status and Future Direction: A Perspective
Dr. El-Khayat is a consultant adult psychiatrist and accredited cognitive psychotherapist, who has been working in the field of psychiatry for 30 years. He worked in the National Health Service in the UK for 20 years, and in the last 5 years he has been committed to humanitarian work in establishing mental health services for vulnerable Syrians and refugees in different countries. He is an executive member and chair of the mental health committee of the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organization.
Jennifer Leaning, MD, SMH Perspectives on international humanitarian law: Examples from the war in Kosovo
Jennifer Leaning MD SMH is FXB Professor of Health and Human Rights at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and the Director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. She is also Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has investigated violations of IHL and human rights in many conflict settings and crises and has written widely on these topics. She is currently one of the three co-chairs of the Lancet-AUB Commission on Syria.
Wissam Mahasneh, MD Psychological Impact of Crisis
Dr. Mahasneh is a a Srian psychiatrist who has been working with Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Syria for almost five years. He graduated from Damascus University and is a member of the executive council of SAMH (Syrian Association for Mental Health). He is currently working at the Balsam Center in Gaziantep, Turkey.
Joan Marston, MD, Palliative Care as an Integral Part of the Humanitarian Response (Presentation 1), Pediatric Palliative care to Relieve Children’s Suffering (Presentation 2)
Dr. Marston has worked in palliative care for the past 28 years at the local, national and international level. She is the co-chair of PALCHASE (Palliative care in humanitarian aid situations and emergencies) which is hosted by the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC); is a member of the WHO Community of Practice for palliative care in humanitarian situations; and is leading a task force on refugees and migrants for the European Association of Palliative Care. For the past 12 years she has led the International Children’s Palliative Care Network which she co-founded in 2005.
Dr Mamoun Mobayed, MD, DPM., MSc, Burnout Among Psychosocial and Medical Support Workers
Dr. Mobayed is a Consultant Psychiatrist & Director of Treatment & Rehabilitation Department at the Behavioral Healthcare Center in Qatar. He has been a professor at Community College of Qatar since 2014 (Psychology & Social Psychology), and is the President of the Syrian Association for Mental Health (SAMH) in Turkey. Dr Mobayed has a special interest in trauma-related psychosocial health since 2002, and has accomplished field work in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Kashmir, Tunisia, China and now with Syrians in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
Sadek Kara Mohammed, MD, Viral Hepatitis During Conflict
Dr. Mohammed graduated from Aleppo University Medical School in 1999, obtained Arabic Board of Internal Medicine at Damascus University in 2005, and completed his Gastroenterology fellowship at Damascus university in 2007. He was a practicing gastroenterology and intensivist until 2014 when he became the director of SAMS Multi-Speciality Clinic in Idlib City. In 2015 he became the coordinator of the SAMS GI group in Syria and the director of SAMS Advanced Endoscopy center in Northern Syria.
Mohammad Al-Nahhas, DDS Challenges in Delivering Dental Care During Times of Conflict
Mohammad Al-Nahhas, D.D.S. is the Syrian American Medical Society’s Dental Relief Program Chairman. Originally from Homs, Dr. Al-Nahhas completed his education in dentistry at Alexandria University in Egypt and Columbia University in New York. Dr. Al-Nahhas has practiced dentistry in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as well as Panama City Florida. In 2012, he established dental clinics in and around Syria, and founded the dental relief program of SAMS.
Jallal Najjar, MD, War Neurosurgery in Syria
Dr. Najjar completed medical school in 1990 at Aleppo University, and completed his residency in neurosurgery in 1995 at Damascus Hospital. He completed his research fellowship in skull base surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Najjar has published many papers and international courses and articles in neurosurgery, and is a member of the World Federation of Neurological Societies Education and Training Committee.
Mousa Naffa, Presenting the Work of SAMS in Jordan
Mousa Naffa joined SAMS in Jordan as Country Director for the Regional Office in Amman, Jordan in February 2017. He is a humanitarian practitioner with more than 12 years of professional experience working in senior management and leadership positions, adopting and applying the Human Rights Based Approach. Before joining SAMS, he worked as the Deputy Country Director for the Minnesota Center for Victims of Torture (CVT).
Iman Nuwayhid, MD, Engaging science in armed conflict: A perspective from the Lancet-AUB Commission on Syria
Dr. Iman Nuwayhid is a Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Science at the American University of Beirut. He received his MD from AUB and his MPH and DrPH in Occupational Health from the Johns Hopkins University. He is American Board Certified in Occupational Medicine. He is a member of the editorial board of “International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health.” He was inducted into the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars in 2012. He is a co-editor of the landmark book on “Public Health in the Arab World” published by Cambridge University Press in March 2012. He is one of the leaders of “Lancet Commission on Syria.”
Moheeb Qadoor, MD, Orthopedics and Reconstructive Surgery in Syria
Mohamed Sekkarie MD, MPH, Moderator and Conference Co-Chair
Mohamed Sekkari, MD, MPH is a US nephrologist. He received his medical degree from Damascus University, did his nephrology training at the University of Michigan and the MPH at Johns Hopkins University. He is involved in the care of Syrian patients with kidney disease and has published on the care of renal patients during conflicts in the Lancet, Kidney International, Clinical Nephrology, Nephron and other journals. He was a SAMS Board member and treasurer and presently heads SAMS Data and Research Committee.
Saud El-Sayed Suleiman, MD, Chronic Illnesses in Conflict Zones
Dr. Suleiman is currently a partner at Advanced Gastroenterology Centers in Daytona Beach, a clinical assistant professor at Florida State University and an Investigator for Advanced Medical research (2007-present). He was the previously the Chief of Gastroenterology, Halifax Medical center, Daytona Beach, Florida. He is also the co-founder of Twin lakes Medical center, and previously the Medical Director of the Hall county Rural health clinic, Memphis, Texas (1995-1997).
Ahmad Tarakji, MD, Delivering effective health care during conflicts and refugee crises (Presentation 1), Normalizing the weaponization of health care: Could we weather the storm? (Presentation 2)
Dr. Ahmad Tarakji is the President of the Syrian American Medical Society, as well as a current Board member of the SAMS Foundation. Dr. Tarakji is a cardio-thoracic surgeon in California, and a former clinical assistant professor at Stanford University. At SAMS, he spearheads and participates in numerous initiatives, including providing trauma and critical care courses for Syrian physicians and nurses, overseeing SAMS’s advocacy work. He also leads SAMS partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, and universities in the U.S. and Europe to establish education, relief, and post-crisis rebuilding programs for Syria.
Perihan Torun, MD Health Care Needs Assessment for the Syrian community living in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul
Perihan Torun is assistant Professor in Public Health at Bezmialem Vakıf University, İstanbul, and worked as a General Practitioner before she trained in Public Health Medicine in Turkey. She specialized in Epidemiology in the United Kingdom, worked in Public Health in the NHS (UK) and as a researcher with the University of Manchester. She contributed to the development and delivery of distance learning modules with the Universities of Liverpool and Sheffield.
Basel Termanini, MD, Moderator and Conference Co-Chair
Dr. Termanini, SAMS Vice President and the Chairman of SAMS Fundraising and Media Committees, was born and raised in Aleppo, Syria, and completed his medical education both in Aleppo and the United States. In 1997 he started his GI practice in Steubenville, OH and is currently part of Trinity Health system there. Dr. Termanini has been active in the humanitarian and medical relief efforts to Syria and has visited northern Syria and Turkey 7 times since 2013 on medical missions.
Faruk Turgut, MD New Therapeutic Agents in Diabetic Nephropathy
Dr. Turgut is currently an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Mustafa Kemal University and has been working as a nephrologist in the Hatay province of Turkey since 2011. He received his medical degree from İstanbul University and finished his Internal Medicine residency in Istanbul Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Turgut was chosen as ‘doctor of the year’ in Hatay by the Ministry of Health in 2012.