Zaher Sahloul
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Zaher Sahloul
| image = Zaher Sahloul.jpg
| birth_place = Syria
| education = {{unbulleted|University of Illinois Chicago|Damascus University}}
| occupation = {{Unbulleted|Physician|Activist|Humanitarian}}
| years_active = 2000-Present
| known_for = Humanitarian Activism
| notable_works = Syrian American Medical Society
| spouse = Suzanne Akhras
}}
Zaher Sahloul is a Syrian-American physician, activist, and humanitarian known for his efforts to improve access to healthcare and protect medical neutrality in conflict zones and low-income communities around the world, particularly in Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza.{{Cite news |last=Patil |first=Anushka |date=2024-03-22 |title=Back From Gaza Hospitals, Doctors Tell Washington of Horrors Amid Cease-Fire Push |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/world/middleeast/gaza-hospitals-doctors-israel-congress.html |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510200339/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/world/middleeast/gaza-hospitals-doctors-israel-congress.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hilleary |first=Cecily |date=2013-08-28 |title=Syrian-American Doctor: Medical Workers Among Those Killed in Gas Attack |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/syrian-american-doctor-says-health-care-workers-among-those-killed-in-syria-nerve-gas-attack/1738976.html |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Voice of America |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232336/https://www.voanews.com/a/syrian-american-doctor-says-health-care-workers-among-those-killed-in-syria-nerve-gas-attack/1738976.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Guldogan |first=Diyar |date=2024-10-18 |title=Gaza aid warning to Israel could be 'piece of hope' if US takes serious steps: American doctor |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/gaza-aid-warning-to-israel-could-be-piece-of-hope-if-us-takes-serious-steps-american-doctor/3366534 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}{{Cite news |last=Horng |first=Eric |date=2022-04-05 |title=Suburban doctor returns to Ukraine border with more medical supplies, hopes of reaching Kyiv |url=https://abc7chicago.com/russia-ukraine-war-medglobal/11710056/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=ABC7 Chicago |language=en |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606135507/https://abc7chicago.com/russia-ukraine-war-medglobal/11710056/ |url-status=live }}
Sahloul co-founded and served as the president of MedGlobal in 2017,{{Cite web |last=Hanania |first=Ray |date=2020-04-16 |title=US coronavirus battle evokes painful Syrian war memories for Arab American doctor |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1660011/amp |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Arab News |language=en}} and the president of the Syrian American Medical Society from 2011-2015.{{Cite news |last1=Rubenstein |first1=Leonard S. |last2=Sahloul |first2=M. Zaher |date=2014-11-19 |title=In Syria, Doctors Become the Victims |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/opinion/in-syria-doctors-become-the-victims.html |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=The New York Times |department=Opinion |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502123120/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/opinion/in-syria-doctors-become-the-victims.html |url-status=live }}
Early life and education
Dr. Sahloul was born in Algeria to Syrian elementary school teachers and spent his early years in Homs, Syria. He graduated summa cum laude and earned his M.D. from Damascus University in 1988. In 1989, he migrated to the United States, where he completed his training in Internal Medicine from 1990 to 1993, and a fellowship in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago from 1993-1996.
Career
Professionally, Dr. Sahloul is a Critical Care specialist at Advocate Christ Medical Center and Saint Anthony’s hospital and Associate Professor in Clinical Medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago.{{Cite news |last=Cotto |first=Jennifer |date=2023-03-07 |title=Area Doctors Return From Volunteering in Turkey and Syria Following Earthquakes |url=https://news.wttw.com/2023/03/07/area-doctors-return-volunteering-turkey-and-syria-following-earthquakes |access-date=2024-11-08 |work=WTTW}}{{Cite web |date=2016-08-16 |title=M. Zaher Sahloul |url=https://theconversation.com/profiles/m-zaher-sahloul-292276 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209014117/https://theconversation.com/profiles/m-zaher-sahloul-292276 |archive-date=December 9, 2023 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}
In 1998, he co-founded the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and served as its senior advisor until 2016.{{Cite web |last=Cauchi |first=E.D. |date=2016-09-18 |title=Doctors are fighting a losing battle in the siege of Aleppo |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/aleppos-children/doctors-wage-losing-battle-aleppo-syria-s-civil-war-n649161 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509132458/https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/aleppos-children/doctors-wage-losing-battle-aleppo-syria-s-civil-war-n649161 |archive-date=May 9, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=NBC News |language=en}} He also held the position of president at SAMS from 2011 to 2015.{{Cite web |last=Blumenthal |first=Max |date=2018-04-12 |title=How the Syrian American Medical Society Is Selling Regime Change and Driving the U.S. to War |url=https://www.truthdig.com/articles/how-the-syrian-american-medical-society-is-selling-regime-change-and-driving-the-u-s-to-war/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232341/https://www.truthdig.com/articles/how-the-syrian-american-medical-society-is-selling-regime-change-and-driving-the-u-s-to-war/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Truthdig |language=en-US}}
He is also the founder and President of Syria Faith Initiative, which is a non-sectarian, apolitical coalition of interfaith leaders working for improvement of Syrian society.{{Cite web |title=On the Issues Episode 99: Dr. Zaher Sahloul - Alon Ben-Meir |url=https://alonben-meir.com/audio/on-the-issues-episode-99-dr-zaher-sahloul/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232343/https://alonben-meir.com/audio/on-the-issues-episode-99-dr-zaher-sahloul/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |language=en}} He is the founder and partner at Midwest Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Consultants, LLC since 2000.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-04 |title=Dr. Mohammed Zaher Sahloul, MD |url=https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Mohammed_Sahloul.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232342/https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Mohammed_Sahloul.html |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=vitals.com}} He co-founded SAMS Global Response to address the refugee crisis in Europe, as well as the American Relief Coalition for Syria (ARCS), a coalition of 14 humanitarian organizations.{{Cite news |last= |title=Ex-classmate on Assad: 'A doctor killing doctors' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/2/aleppo-hospital-raid-ex-assad-classmate-speaks-out |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232338/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/2/aleppo-hospital-raid-ex-assad-classmate-speaks-out |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}
He has also been a board member of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Heartland Alliance,{{Cite web |date=2020-12-06 |title=FEEL INSPIRED |url=https://www.heartlandalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nov-eNews.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232342/https://www.heartlandalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nov-eNews.pdf |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=heartlandalliance.org}} American Business Immigration Coalition,{{Cite web |title=Meet Our Key Leaders |url=https://abic.us/our-board/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=American Business Immigration Coalition |language=en-US}} and chaired the Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago from 2008-2012.{{Cite web |last1=Brachear |first1=Manya |last2=Garcia |first2=Monique |last3=Tribune |first3=Chicago |date=2010-08-20 |title=Leave mosque debate out of politics, Muslims urge Quinn |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/08/20/leave-mosque-debate-out-of-politics-muslims-urge-quinn-2/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} He was appointed as a member of Illinois board of health by Governor Pat Quinn from 2009-2016. Dr. Sahloul sits on the advisory boards of the Syrian Community Network (SCN), and the Center for Public Health and Human Rights and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. From 2010 to 2014 he was a board member of American Islamic College.{{Cite news |date=2010-10-01 |title=American Islamic College to reopen in Chicago |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/10/01/american-islamic-college-to-reopen-in-chicago/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232342/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/10/01/american-islamic-college-to-reopen-in-chicago/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}
In 2017, Dr. Sahloul co-founded MedGlobal, a humanitarian charitable non-governmental organization that provides emergency response and health programs vulnerable communities around the world.{{Cite web |last=Sahloul |first=Zaher |date=2022-03-01 |title=Zaher Sahloul: Russia's attacks in Syria were a prelude to Putin's war on Ukraine |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/03/01/zaher-sahloul-russias-attacks-in-syria-were-a-prelude-to-putins-war-on-ukraine/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232336/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/03/01/zaher-sahloul-russias-attacks-in-syria-were-a-prelude-to-putins-war-on-ukraine/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=Dr. Zaher Sahloul - MedGlobal |url=https://medglobal.org/board-member/48604/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232342/https://medglobal.org/board-member/48604/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=MedGlobal |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kate |first=Armanini |date=2024-02-13 |title='A moral imperative': Team of Chicago doctors travels to Gaza for medical relief efforts |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/02/13/chicago-doctors-travel-to-gaza/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505201835/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/02/13/chicago-doctors-travel-to-gaza/ |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} In 2020, he co-founded the American Coalition for Ukraine to support the humanitarian response to the Russian war in Ukraine. Sahloul is also an active supporter of human rights and actively talks and writes about such issues on various news platforms.{{Cite journal |last1=Abbara |first1=Aula |last2=Almalla |first2=Mohamed |last3=AlMasri |first3=Ibrahim |last4=AlKabbani |first4=Hussam |last5=Karah |first5=Nabil |last6=El-Amin |first6=Wael |last7=Rajan |first7=Latha |last8=Rahhal |first8=Ibrahim |last9=Alabbas |first9=Mohammad |last10=Sahloul |first10=Zaher |last11=Tarakji |first11=Ahmad |last12=Sparrow |first12=Annie |date=2020-01-01 |title=The challenges of tuberculosis control in protracted conflict: The case of Syria |journal=International Journal of Infectious Diseases |volume=90 |pages=53–59 |doi=10.1016/j.ijid.2019.10.015 |issn=1878-3511 |pmid=31639519|hdl=10044/1/74521 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite web |title=Gaza reaches 'tipping point,' doctors tell UN in plea for help |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/doctors-worked-gaza-warn-invasion-rafah-apocalyptic/story?id=108294947 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507035007/https://abcnews.go.com/International/doctors-worked-gaza-warn-invasion-rafah-apocalyptic/story?id=108294947 |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sahloul |first=Zaher |date=2024-03-31 |title=Opinion: Half measures won't work. What Gaza needs is a Marshall Plan |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/31/opinions/gaza-relief-effort-marshall-plan-sahloul/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506232336/https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/31/opinions/gaza-relief-effort-marshall-plan-sahloul/index.html |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last1=Muslim |first1=Farida |last2=Attar |first2=Samer |last3=Sahloul |first3=Zaher |date=2016-09-13 |title=Doctors and Nurses in Aleppo Respond to Gary Johnson |url=https://time.com/4487842/what-is-aleppo-doctors-nurses-teachers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214034514/https://time.com/4487842/what-is-aleppo-doctors-nurses-teachers/ |archive-date=December 14, 2023 |access-date=2024-05-06 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Sahloul |first=M. Zaher |date=2016-11-09 |title=I'm a doctor in Chicago. Here's what I saw when I went to help in Aleppo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/09/doctor-aleppo-hospital-underground-safety-resources |access-date=2024-05-06 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Sahloul |first=Zaher |date=2023-05-16 |title=Putin targets Ukrainian civilians because he could in Syria |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/5/19/putin-targets-ukrainian-civilians-because-he-could-in-syria |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}
In April 2024, Dr. Sahloul was among a small group of Muslim-American leaders who met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-03 |title=Palestinian American doctor from Chicago explains why he walked out of meeting with President Biden |url=https://abc7chicago.com/joe-biden-president-israel-iftar-dinner/14612623/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=ABC7 Chicago |language=en}}
Achievements
Dr. Sahloul was the receiver of 2018 Top Muslim Achiever award from The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC).{{Cite web |title=Dr. Zaher Sahloul: CIOGC 2018 Top Muslim Achiever – CIOGC |url=https://www.ciogc.org/dr-zaher-sahloul-ciogc-2018-top-muslim-achiever/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.ciogc.org |archive-date=June 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612161218/https://www.ciogc.org/dr-zaher-sahloul-ciogc-2018-top-muslim-achiever/ |url-status=live }} He was awarded the Gandhi Award for Peace for his humanitarian work in 2020.{{Cite web |last=Sawah |first=Wael |date=2021-01-15 |title=2020 Gandhi Peace Award Honors Two Syrians |url=https://syrianobserver.com/foreign-actors/2020-gandhi-peace-award-honors-two-syrians.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=The Syrian Observer |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Dr. Zaher Sahloul recognized with Ghandi Peace Award |url=https://meccacenter.org/2020/11/11/dr-zaher-sahloul-recognized-with-ghandi-peace-award/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506233840/https://meccacenter.org/2020/11/11/dr-zaher-sahloul-recognized-with-ghandi-peace-award/ |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=The Mecca Center |language=en-US}} He has also received other awards including Dr. Robert Kirschner’s Award for Global Activism by Heartland Alliance Kovler Center 2017{{Cite web |title=Kovler Center To Award Syrian Doctor |url=https://www.wbez.org/worldview/2017/04/03/kovler-center-to-award-syrian-doctor |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=WBEZ |language=en}} and annual humanitarian award by UNICEF Chicago 2017.{{Cite web |title=7th Annual UNICEF Chicago Humanitarian Awards Luncheon {{!}} UNICEF USA |url=https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/7th-annual-unicef-chicago-humanitarian-awards-luncheon |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.unicefusa.org |language=en-GB}}
In June 2024, Sahloul was chosen by US Senator Dick Durbin as the senator’s guest for President Biden’s State of the Union address to Congress, due to his long record of medical aid work and particular focus on alleviating suffering in Gaza.{{Cite web |title=Durbin Announces Chicago's Dr. Zaher Sahloul, President of MedGlobal, As State of the Union in Guest in Senate Floor Speech {{!}} U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois |url=https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-announces-chicagos-dr-zaher-sahloul-president-of-medglobal-as-state-of-the-union-in-guest-in-senate-floor-speech |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.durbin.senate.gov |language=en}}
Personal life
He is married to Suzanne Akhras and the couple has three children.{{Cite news |last1=Kapos |first1=Shia |last2=Hurst |first2=Adrienne |date=2019-08-22 |title=LIGHTFOOT VS. CTU — WALSH VS. TRUMP? — CITY TO CHURCHES: Pay for trash pick-up |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2019/08/22/lightfoot-vs-ctu-walsh-vs-trump-city-to-churches-pay-for-trash-pick-up-472294 |access-date=2024-11-08 |work=Politico}}