Ambiguity after dismissing 200 healthcare workers in Hama  

In a scene reflecting frustration and despair, more than 200 employees from various job categories in the Hama Health Directorate, public hospitals, and health centers belonging to the Syrian Interim Government have remained out public employment for more than a year and a half.

These employees, who spent long years serving the healthcare sector, had previously been seconded to work in popular organizations, professional unions, and Ba'ath Party branches in the province, only to suddenly find themselves dismissed and deprived of their most basic rights to a dignified life, in an incident described as unprecedented compared to other ministries.

A number of dismissed employees recounted their daily suffering, confirming that they have become entirely without any meaningful source of income after their salaries were fully suspended. They described their feelings of shock and disbelief, especially since they had been performing their duties impartially as public employees who were reassigned outside their parent institution by administrative decision, and were not involved in any political disputes.

The employees explained that they had approached all relevant authorities, starting from the Hama Health Directorate and hospital administrations, up to the Ministry of Health in Damascus, hoping to find a solution to this humanitarian crisis. However, all their attempts failed and were met with neglect or unhelpful promises.

According to the employees, official bodies referred them to an old decision issued by a former Minister of Health the same decision that caused their salaries to be withheld without offering any alternative solutions. They pointed out the tragic irony that colleagues in other ministries, such as water, supply, endowments, and insurance, who were in similar situations, had been smoothly reinstated, while their fate in the Ministry of Health remains unresolved.

These dismissed employees possess varying levels of professional experience: some have served the state for more than 33 years, while others have exceeded 20 years of service. With their advancing age many now over 48 they are no longer able to work long hours in freelance jobs to secure their daily livelihood.

The employees are calling for justice through one of two options: either their immediate reinstatement, as has occurred in other ministries, or ending their suffering by referring them to retirement and completing their official documentation, especially for those who have met the legal requirements.

Khaled Nabhan (53), who served for 31 years, says: “We were nothing more than employees doing our jobs. We were suddenly shocked to find ourselves dismissed without prior notice. I am nearing retirement and have no other source of income to support my family. My colleagues in other ministries have returned to their jobs what about us?”

Rania Ahmad (48), a mother of three, describes her hardship: “The suffering is indescribable. My salary was my family’s only source of income. Today, any work I do cannot meet basic living needs. The financial return from any job I can find does not exceed one million Syrian pounds, which is not enough given the high cost of living. All we ask is for our injustice to be addressed and for us to be reinstated in our jobs.”

The dismissed employees in the Hama Health Directorate view their case as an urgent humanitarian issue requiring an immediate solution, amid growing anger and frustration among those who dedicated years of their lives to serving the healthcare sector, only to find themselves today out on the street without any legal or social support.

ANHA