90,000 retirees face difficulties accessing Hama insurance, pensions branch

Complaints continue to emerge from retirees and visitors to the General Establishment for Insurance and Pensions branch in Hama, who say that administrative and service-related shortcomings are increasing their financial and health burdens, particularly for retirees traveling from the governorates of Idlib and Raqqa.

According to testimonies from several visitors, the branch located near Al-Qalaa Roundabout in central Hama serves approximately 90,000 retirees from Hama, Idlib, and Raqqa. This includes a large number of military retirees who are required to visit the branch repeatedly to complete procedures or inquire about their pension entitlements.

Visitors from Idlib stated that they must travel nearly 150 kilometers round trip to reach the branch. In some cases, transportation costs can reach around 500,000 Syrian pounds, creating an additional financial burden, particularly for elderly retirees.

Retirees from Raqqa reported facing similar challenges, including high travel expenses, long waiting periods, and repeated visits associated with processing pension-related paperwork, especially for those who retired after 2011.

According to visitors, the Military Pension Department is located on the third floor of the building, forcing many elderly individuals and people with chronic health conditions to climb several flights of stairs to access service offices. This has prompted calls for greater accommodations that take their health circumstances into account.

Meanwhile, sources within the General Establishment for Insurance and Pensions branch in Hama stated that the office provides services to retirees from three governorates Hama, Idlib, and Raqqa while simultaneously suffering from a shortage of staff relative to the large number of visitors. This, they said, contributes to delays in processing transactions and longer waiting times.

ANHA's correspondents observed that only seven employees were working at the branch.

The sources added that the number of visitors continues to rise, particularly among military retirees who retired after 2011. Some of their files require additional documentation and supporting papers, which further extends the time needed to complete their applications.

These complaints come at a time when Syria’s Interim Government says it is continuing efforts to develop the social protection system for retirees and improve the services provided to them. Pension payments were also increased by 30 percent under Decree No. 135 of 2026. However, many retirees argue that improving administrative services and reducing the burdens of travel and repeated visits are just as important as financial increases.

So far, no official statement has been issued by the administration of the General Establishment for Insurance and Pensions branch in Hama regarding the complaints about service conditions, staffing shortages, or calls to improve facilities and reception services for visitors.

ANHA