Over 100 healthcare workers dismissed in Masyaf, Hama amid sectarian concerns

In a sudden move that raises many questions about its motives and standards, the Ministry of Health affiliated with Syria’s interim government has terminated the contracts of more than 100 employees at Masyaf National Hospital, according to medical sources. The dismissals included doctors from various specialties, nurses, workers, and drivers, with most of those affected reportedly belonging to the Alawite sect.

The decision comes at a time when Syria’s health sector is already suffering from severe crises, most notably a shortage of qualified medical staff and the continued emigration of many professionals abroad.

According to the same sources, the contract terminations affected employees working on fixed-term contracts at the hospital, some of whom had served for more than ten years. They also confirmed that a similar wave of dismissals affected specialist doctors at Hama National Hospital and the Hama Health Directorate, expanding the scope of the issue and suggesting that the measures may be systematic.

Shock and anger have spread among doctors and healthcare workers following the Ministry of Health’s decision to terminate the contracts. Many expressed their outrage and dismay at a decision taken amid extremely difficult living and health conditions, describing it as unjust and sectarian.

A dismissed doctor from Masyaf, who asked not to be named, said:
“Syrian doctors are held up as role models abroad for the depth of their knowledge and the richness of their experience, yet here we are being dismissed. We went through a period when we feared a shortage of anesthesiologists, and the health system was close to breaking down due to their mass departure. Now we have reached an even more insidious stage: this decision will push all doctors to think seriously about leaving and not remaining as contractors in hospitals that evade their responsibility toward them.”

Another dismissed employee expressed a widespread sense of injustice, drawing a painful comparison:

“Where is the justice in this? Employees of NGOs in Idlib earn salaries of up to $2,000, and specialists may earn double or triple that amount, while state employees do not earn more than $80 and yet they are still being targeted. What kind of corruption is this? Justice is the foundation of everything.”

A first-category nurse who was dismissed issued an appeal, saying:
“We call on the Minister of Health and urge him to reconsider this unjust decision, especially under these harsh living conditions… We hope everyone will be reinstated. We have spent ten years in the hospital, committed to our work and duties under all circumstances.”

This decision places the Ministry of Health under serious scrutiny on multiple levels. First, regarding the criteria for dismissal: the decision lacks transparency concerning the professional or administrative standards on which it was based. Moreover, the demographic composition of those dismissed points to concerns that go beyond competence and into other considerations, creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among the remaining medical staff.

Second, many Syrians see it as another blow to an already fragile health sector. The decision comes amid an ongoing “hemorrhage” of talent due to emigration. The dismissed doctor’s remarks about anesthesiologists highlight a dual risk: the loss of current expertise and the push for remaining professionals to seriously consider emigration or abandoning contracts with the state, threatening the collapse of essential services in key hospitals.

There is also a stark contradiction highlighted by the comparison between the salaries of international NGO employees (around $2,000) and those of their counterparts in the public sector (around $80). This vast gap drives skilled professionals to seek opportunities outside government service a contradiction for which government policies in managing both the economic and health sectors bear responsibility.

Observers stress that the decision to terminate the contracts of dozens of healthcare workers in Masyaf and Hama opens a sensitive and complex file related to the management of the health sector and the standards governing recruitment and dismissal, while medical and local circles await an official clarification.

ANHA