Syrian Hospital in Idlib Goes Out of Service as Crucial Support Stops
(Arab World Press) - Six months after a hospital went out of service in the town of Harim, Idlib province, northwestern Syria, the medical facility remains unable to resume services that benefited thousands of Syrians, mainly due to the cessation of financial support it previously received.
Qadry Adnan, the Administrative Director of al-Salam Hospital, said, “The hospital has been out of service for nearly six months. It used to cover an area with a population of more than 300,000. We used to receive 7,000 to 8,000 patients a month.”
He added, “The closure of the hospital has created burdens for patients’ families, in addition to putting pressure on the rest of the facilities near the hospital.”
Meanwhile, Hussam Qara, the Deputy Director of the Idlib Health Directorate, said the health sector in Idlib and northwestern Syria in general has been facing drastic cuts in financial grants offered to provide health services since the end of 2023.
He explained, “In early 2024, another cut took place and this one led to the cessation of several medical facilities – around five – completely or partially. When support temporarily stops, staff continue working voluntarily, but when the interruption is at the level of logistics and pharmaceuticals, it leads to a full cessation of the hospital’s work.”
In one of the tents at the displacement camp located on the outskirts of Harim city, an elderly man named Abu Mohamed confirmed that the closure of the hospital was negatively affecting the IDPs – even more so than the residents of the city who are close to the hospital.
“The camp dwellers are poor and have nothing, not even the price of bread and tomatoes. So, how are we supposed to get the necessary medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes and eye conditions? If these hospitals have been shut down, where should we go?”
Ahmed Abu Mahmoud, another displaced man, similarly complained that the closure of the hospitals has significantly affected displaced people.
He said, “If we were to face an emergency, childbirth or anything else, the majority of the IDPs do not have cars and if there’s one available, the nearest hospital is about 15 kilometers away. This negatively impacts us because the tents rely on the nearby hospitals. We have been greatly affected by this.”