Appeals to support Tal Tamr Hospital after months of interrupted medical supplies

Residents of Tal Tamr and its surrounding countryside have voiced growing concerns over the deterioration of healthcare services at Martyr Zao Sing Hospital, the region's primary medical facility. The decline has followed the suspension of support after the management of the healthcare sector in Al-Hasakah Governorate was transferred to the Health Directorate affiliated with the Syrian Interim Government. This has resulted in severe shortages of medicines, medical personnel, and essential medical supplies, forcing many patients to seek treatment outside the town despite difficult economic conditions.

Patients and their companions said they are struggling to obtain treatment at the hospital due to the unavailability of many essential medications. They are often forced to purchase medicines from private pharmacies, while some drugs are completely unavailable.

They also noted that the shortage of doctors and limited medical resources has significantly affected the quality of healthcare services. At the same time, many residents cannot afford treatment at private hospitals or the cost of traveling to al-Hasakah or Qamishlo for receiving medical care.

Mohammad Al-Husseini, one of the hospital's patients, stressed that the facility serves Tal Tamr and dozens of nearby villages. However, the deterioration of services over the past few months has intensified patients' suffering. He called on al-Hasakah Health Directorate, the Ministry of Health, and humanitarian organizations to provide the hospital with medicines and additional medical personnel, emphasizing its vital role for the local population.

Another resident, Idris al-Ahmad, said that worsening living conditions, combined with the shortage of doctors and medicines, have made access to healthcare extremely difficult.

He added that the hospital's medical staff are doing everything they can within the limited resources available, but the scarcity of supplies prevents them from meeting patients' needs.

Similarly, Mariam al-Jumaa, a mother of three, said she had arrived at the hospital early in the morning with her sick children but was unable to obtain the necessary treatment because of shortages in medicines and medical staff.

She explained that her financial situation does not allow her to seek treatment at private clinics or take her children to hospitals in other cities, and she appealed to humanitarian organizations to intervene and support the hospital.

Walid Shaker Abdullah, an X-ray technician at Martyr Zao Sing Hospital, said the hospital has been facing a deepening crisis for more than five months due to the interruption of medicine deliveries, including emergency medications, despite repeated appeals to al-Hasakah Health Directorate. He noted that the limited quantities received fall far short of meeting even the minimum needs of patients.

He added that the crisis has also been compounded by the suspension of staff salaries for more than five months, prompting medical and administrative personnel to continue working on a voluntary basis to ensure that healthcare services remain available.

According to Abdullah, the hospital previously received between 400 and 500 patients each day. However, the decline in services and resources has caused the number of daily patients to drop to only about 20.

Abdullah concluded by urging the Health Directorate, government authorities, and humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance to the hospital by supplying medicines, medical equipment, operational materials, and support for healthcare workers. Such assistance, he stressed, is essential to ensure the continuation of healthcare services at the facility, which serves Tal Tamr and its surrounding countryside and remains the primary healthcare provider for tens of thousands of residents.

ANHA