Zainab Abdul Latif

A Syrian medical pioneer who established the Middle East's first women's hospital and trained female healthcare professionals

Zainab Abdul Latif (1905-1975) was a trailblazing physician from Syria who revolutionized healthcare access for women in the Arab world. Born in Damascus during the Ottoman era, she pursued medicine at the American University of Beirut (AUB), graduating in 1930 as one of the first Arab women to earn a medical degree. Her thesis on Maternal Mortality in Rural Syria exposed systemic healthcare neglect in underserved communities.

In 1942, Dr. Latif founded the Al-Amal Women's Hospital in Damascus, the region's first facility staffed entirely by female healthcare workers. This institution not only provided maternal care but also trained nurses and midwives through its affiliated school. By 1950, the hospital had delivered over 5,000 babies and reduced postpartum mortality rates by 40% in the region.

Her 1953 book Healthcare Without Borders became a foundational text in public health, advocating for community-based healthcare models. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, she organized mobile clinics that treated over 10,000 refugees, earning her the Arab Red Crescent's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1968.

Dr. Latif's most innovative contribution was the Maternal Health Caravan, a traveling medical unit that reached remote Syrian villages. Between 1955-1970, these caravans vaccinated 200,000 children and provided prenatal care to 15,000 women annually. Her work inspired similar initiatives across Lebanon and Jordan.

Today, the Zainab Abdul Latif Medical College in Damascus (zalmc.edu.sy) continues her mission, with 70% of its graduates working in rural healthcare. The World Health Organization honored her in 2018 with a posthumous recognition for her contributions to global maternal health.