Dr. Farida

A Syrian OB/GYN perseveres amidst conflict

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About Dr. Farida

Dr. Farida, an OB/GYN, was the last remaining female obstetrician in besieged east Aleppo, Syria. She studied medicine at Aleppo University and worked primarily at the largest trauma facility in East Aleppo, M2, which was supported by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). During the siege she performed procedures under extreme conditions, even completing a cesarean section in the midst of a chemical attack on her hospital. In December, she and her family were displaced from Aleppo and settled in Idlib province, where she currently works in a SAMS hospital. Dr. Farida played an instrumental role in training midwives and nurses in response to the shortage of medical personnel in besieged Aleppo, and has continued this work by designing curriculum's for new education programs and advocating for international support for nursing and midwife schools.

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About This Talk

In 2016, Dr. Farida was the only female OB/GYN that remained in the besieged city of Aleppo, Syria. Despite extreme challenges such as medication shortages, inconsistent electricity, and a lack of trained medical staff, Dr. Farida continued caring for patients and performing procedures, even in the most dangerous conditions—such as times when her hospital was under targeted attack.

After being forced to leave her hometown of Aleppo, Dr. Farida and her family relocated to nearby Idlib province, where she works as an obstetrician today. Watch Dr. Farida's 2017 TEDMED interview with NPR's Leila Fadel to gain insight into her harrowing experience practicing medicine in wartime and the hope that she holds on to for the future.

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