Surgical operations at public hospitals to be free of charge in northeastern Syria
Qamishli – North-Press Agency
Ibrahim al-Ibrahimi
Dr. Manal Mohamed, the co-chair of the Health Authority at al-Jazira region said: “The Health Authority has set new medical laws, which will be issued after the approval of the Legislative Council”.
In a special statement to North-Press Dr. Mohamed said that the new laws will be issued soon, and will include facilitating the conduct of surgical operations and determining the prices, the manner of dealing with the ambulance cases and the patients’ rights.
Among the most important provisions of the new law, is allowing all patients and doctors to perform surgeries in the public hospitals of the Autonomous Administration without any charges paid to the hospital,” as the co-chair stated.
Dr. Mohamed revealed that the wages of the surgical operations are varying from one hospital to another, so there must be a law to determine the prices and commit all hospitals and doctors to follow.
Dr. Mohammed adds: “For example, if the price of the appendectomy is set at 100 thousand, then there is no way for negotiations regarding the price”.
There is an ambulance department in each hospital in al-Jazira region, however, according to Dr. Mohammed, the ambulance department suffers a shortage of medical staff 24/7; therefore, the Health Authority has enacted a law requiring all doctors to respond to ambulance cases, “under penalty of a financial fine”.
He also appealed to patients to demand their rights and to “go to the Health Authority and its directorates if they are dealt unjustly in the medical clinics or in private and public hospitals”.
He pointed out that the public hospitals that affiliated with the Health Authority of the Autonomous Administration in al-Jazira region are the People’s Hospital in Hasakah, the National Hospital in Derik (al-Malikiyah), Roj Hospital in Sere-Kaniya (Ras al-Ain), and the Heart and Eye Hospital in Qamishli.
There are also dozens of private hospitals in the cities of al-Jazira region, including ten private hospitals in the city of Qamishli alone.