Health Sector workers in Qamishlo protest discriminatory salary increase

Workers, employees, and nurses at the People’s Hospital in Qamishlo — formerly known as the National Hospital — staged a protest today after the Syrian Interim Government’s Health Ministry issued a decision granting selective salary increases to hospital administrations, deputy directors, doctors, technicians, and nurses divided into two categories (first- and second-class nurses), while excluding administrative staff at the hospital. The move sparked anger among employees and prompted them to organize a protest in front of the hospital.

Protesters raised slogans including: “Administrative staff are not extra numbers, they are the foundation of the work,” “Nursing is the backbone of healthcare,” and “The poor and healthcare = dignity,” along with other slogans condemning the decision.

ANHA agency monitored the opinions of the protesters, who expressed outrage over the decision and described it as unfair and unjust. Technical assistant at the People’s Hospital, Mohammed Sheikhi, said: “Full solidarity with healthcare workers over their low salaries. The salary increase should include all healthcare and administrative staff without discrimination. Those who received the increase are only a small percentage, and their salaries are not enough to cover even five days of living expenses. Therefore, they must be treated fairly.”

He added: “The decision is unjust toward healthcare workers, and their salaries have still not been paid. We demand fairness and the payment of salaries without delay.”

For her part, nurse Hiba Hassan Al-Jassem, who has worked at the People’s Hospital since 2017, pointed out that the decision lacked the principle of equality and discriminated between nurses and other healthcare staff, noting that there is a significant difference in salary percentages.

She described the decision as “a major injustice against us,” adding: “We demand that it be reconsidered and that salaries be distributed fairly and equally to everyone without discrimination, while taking into account the difficult living conditions and the severe rise in prices in the region.”

A-H

ANHA