The London Economic: The Syrian Dandelion is an incredibly personal and powerful book. What made you decide to write it, and why now?
Dr. Alhusain: When I moved to the UK, I felt like my past was erased. The life I had built in Syria, the struggles and achievements, seemed irrelevant in this new world. That feeling of being invisible pushed me to question my value, especially when I compared myself to my younger colleagues. If I hadn’t been forced to flee, I could have been a consultant by now. Writing The Syrian Dandelion was my way of reclaiming those lost years—not just for myself but for all refugees. It’s about survival, resilience, and the quiet strength many carry. With the regime’s recent ousting, the story has become more important than ever to ensure the Syrian experience is not forgotten.
Q: You’ve worked as a doctor in conflict zones, particularly during the early years of the Syrian war. How did those experiences shape your perspective on global healthcare and humanitarian aid?
Dr. Alhusain: Working in conflict zones stripped medicine down to its core. In Syria, survival was the priority. Operating under constant bombardment and limited supplies, we relied on trust and did what we could. It made me see how fragile life truly is. It also reshaped my view of humanitarian aid. While organizations like MSF are invaluable, I saw firsthand how bureaucracy and political agendas often dictate who receives care. True neutrality in war zones is questionable when medicine becomes a tool of power.
Q: Your journey has taken you from war-torn Syria to London’s hospitals. What are the biggest differences you’ve seen in how healthcare is delivered, and what could Western medicine learn from crisis healthcare?
Dr. Alhusain: In Syria, we were more than doctors—we were a family, bound by necessity and shared tragedy. Hierarchies didn’t exist, and there was no room for bureaucracy. Despite the terrible conditions, we saw a higher volume of patients but still managed to finish shifts with a sense of fulfilment. In contrast, Western healthcare is often burdened by red tape, litigation fears, and disconnection. While the technology and resources are vastly superior, the joy of healing can feel lost. Western medicine could benefit from rediscovering that raw, unfiltered human connection that we had in crisis settings.
Q: You founded 6abibak, now one of the largest Arabic medical journals with over 13 million followers. What does that tell us about the demand for accessible and trustworthy health information in the Arab world?
Dr. Alhusain: The success of 6abibak shows a huge gap in accessible, reliable health information in the Arab world. Misinformation and medical myths often spread due to the lack of trusted, evidence-based sources in Arabic. People are desperate for accurate medical guidance, and 6abibak provides just that—clear, culturally relevant advice free from elitism. It reflects the deep need for autonomy in healthcare, where people want to understand their bodies and conditions, not just follow hearsay.
Q: Misinformation is a growing problem in healthcare, especially online. What are the biggest medical myths circulating in Arabic-language media, and how do you combat them?
Dr. Alhusain: Misinformation crosses borders. Myths like vaccines causing harm or magical cancer cures are widespread, even in the Arab world. These myths often stem from traditional beliefs, lack of healthcare access, or a distrust of Western medicine. At 6abibak, we challenge these by offering science-backed, reliable information. We work to fill the knowledge gap, providing content that people can trust—especially when they lack access to proper healthcare and feel desperate for solutions.
Q: You’ve been outspoken about the gaps in refugee healthcare. What do you see as the biggest failings of international aid when it comes to displaced communities?
Dr. Alhusain: The biggest failure is that international aid tends to focus on short-term, immediate relief instead of long-term care. Refugees face chronic health issues, mental health challenges, and long-term rehabilitation needs that remain unmet. Bureaucratic barriers also prevent refugees from accessing national healthcare systems, leaving them dependent on overstretched humanitarian clinics. Aid should evolve from temporary relief to sustainable, integrated healthcare that recognizes refugees as individuals with ongoing medical needs.
Q: The ethics of emergency medicine in conflict zones can be brutal—when resources are limited, how do doctors decide who gets treated first?
Dr. Alhusain: In conflict zones, we had to make heart-wrenching triage decisions. With scarce resources, we prioritized those most likely to survive. It was always about saving as many lives as possible, but those choices were never easy. I vividly remember my first mass casualty event, where I had to choose who lived and who didn’t. The Syrian Dandelion reflects the emotional weight of those decisions—the crushing reality that in some cases, not treating someone felt like a death sentence.
Q: Public and private healthcare models are often seen as opposing forces. Do you think they can work together to create better healthcare systems, particularly in the Middle East?
Dr. Alhusain: In the Middle East, public and private healthcare can complement each other effectively. Unlike in the UK, patients in the region can see specialists quickly and access treatments without long delays. Private healthcare can relieve pressure on public services, improving overall care without undermining accessibility. The key is a well-regulated private sector that works in tandem with public systems to provide faster, efficient care for all.
Q: You’ve worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and seen the realities of war medicine. What’s a side of that experience the public rarely hears about?
Dr. Alhusain: What’s often overlooked is the emotional and moral toll of working in war zones. The guilt of not being able to save every patient, despite your best efforts, can be devastating. The public doesn’t hear about the inner struggles we face, the feeling that you’ve been lucky to be born somewhere safe while others suffer. There’s also the personal sacrifice—leaving behind the chaos and knowing you can’t undo what’s happened. That weight lingers long after you leave.
Q: The Syrian Dandelion is as much about resilience as it is about war. What do you want readers—particularly those far removed from conflict—to take away from your story?
Dr. Alhusain: The Syrian Dandelion is about resilience—how people, despite immense loss, continue to rebuild and adapt. For readers far from conflict, I want them to see refugees as individuals with rich lives, not just victims of war. We need to understand that no country is immune to crisis, and empathy shouldn’t be conditional on proximity. Everyone’s suffering matters, and the line between stability and disaster is thinner than we think.
Q: From your experience, what’s the single biggest misconception people in the West have about Syrian refugees and their struggles?
Dr. Alhusain: One of the biggest misconceptions is that refugees are helpless. Many of us are doctors, teachers, engineers, and professionals who had full lives before the war. Like me, many Syrian refugees have worked hard to rebuild our lives, despite all odds. I didn’t rely on benefits; I worked my way up, showing that refugees have the strength and determination to contribute to their new communities.
Q: The NHS is often compared to other healthcare systems worldwide. With your international experience, what do you see as its greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Dr. Alhusain: The NHS’s greatest strength is its commitment to universal access to healthcare. However, inefficiencies like bureaucracy, long waiting times, and underfunding weaken the system. A balanced approach, where public services remain free at the point of delivery but with more efficient and flexible private options, could ease the strain on NHS resources and improve care for all.
Q: You’ve worked across emergency medicine, digital health, and advocacy. What’s next for you, and how do you hope to continue making an impact?
Dr. Alhusain: I’m currently training to become a GP, which will allow me to continue humanitarian work and explore opportunities with MSF. I’m also working on more books, as storytelling is another powerful way to heal, raise awareness, and inspire change in the world.
Q: Your career is built on both medical expertise and storytelling. Do you believe doctors should play a bigger role in shaping public narratives about health and crisis response?
Dr. Alhusain: Yes, absolutely. Doctors should take a larger role in shaping public narratives, especially regarding health and crises. We have the firsthand experience of seeing the impact of policy failures and misinformation, and we need to speak out. By using storytelling, we can bring clarity, challenge misconceptions, and ensure health discussions are grounded in reality.
Q: If you could change one thing about how the world responds to humanitarian crises, what would it be?
Dr. Alhusain: I would remove the politics from humanitarian aid. Too often, political interests dictate when and how aid is delivered, causing unnecessary delays and suffering. Aid should be driven solely by need, not by geopolitics or bureaucracy. If we focused on saving lives without interference, we could make a far greater impact.
Dr. Thaier Alhusain is a Syrian medical doctor, critically acclaimed author, and TEDx speaker, who began his career in Syria during the early years of the conflict before joining Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in April 2013. He continued with Médecins Sans Frontières until August 2014, after which he relocated to London to pursue his master’s degree in international health at UCL.
He is the founder of 6abibak, an influential online Arabic Medical Journal that has grown to become one of the most widely followed health journals in the Arab world, boasting over 13 million followers. His expertise spans emergency medicine, international health, literature, and advocacy for refugees and displaced communities.
Currently, Dr. Alhusain serves at Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, bringing his extensive experience and dedication to healthcare. His new book, The Syrian Dandelion, is out now. You can follow Dr Alhusain on TikTok here.