HAMA, Syria (North Press) – Residents in the city of Hama, in central Syria, accuse employees of the Martyr Basil Ibrahim Koussa clinic of accepting bribes in exchange for coronavirus tests, and some talk about the possibility of changing the result in exchange for money.
Two months ago, the Syrian Ministry of Health opened a special section within the clinics of Martyr Basil Ibrahim Koussa clinic, located in al-Andalus neighborhood of Hama, to conduct coronavirus tests for those wishing to travel abroad, after several demands from Hama’s Health Directorate to facilitate testing for the local population.
These clinics are known as comprehensive treatment clinics, are affiliated with Hama’s Health Directorate, and receive patients of all types.
Malaz Hassan (a pseudonym), a woman from the city’s Tishreen neighborhood, said that a nurse responsible for taking the swabs refused to take swabs from anyone who did not pay money.
The nurse asked for 20,000 Syrian pounds (around $6) to perform the test, and the amount varies according to the nurse who conducts the test. The more a patient pays, the faster they can take the test, Hassan added.
About 20 days ago, Hassan booked an appointment for a PCR test on the Ministry of Health website, because she needed a document in order to travel to Lebanon and conduct a job interview at the Dutch embassy. She was forced to pay the nurse “so that I would not be late for the interview and lose the job opportunity.”
Those wishing to travel outside Syria are tested 48 hours before the date of their travel by pre-booking on the Ministry of Health page.
$50 a test
Earlier, the Ministry of Health launched an electronic platform to book appointments for PCR tests for those who wish to travel outside of Syria. After the virus’ outbreak in Syria, the Ministry of Health opened coronavirus testing centers in Damascus, Rif-Dimashq, Aleppo, Latakia, Homs, and Tartus.
The ministry stated that the electronic platform on its website is the only way to book an appointment for a PCR test needed for travel, and stressed the need to book an appointment through that platform before going to any center.
The ministry asked residents to bring their passport and flight ticket, and to show a confirmation letter for their appointment.
The cost of PCR tests in government centers is $50, and the amount is paid according to the exchange rate in the Central Bank of Syria in Syrian pounds for Syrians and in dollars for those outside the country.
Some people who took the test told North Press that nurses responsible for taking swabs charged them as much as 135,000 SYP.
Fake ‘COVID-free’ certificates
Amer Al-Tarn (a pseudonym), a resident of al-Baroudia neighborhood, said that he was surprised when one of the nurses offered him to give him a negative test result without taking the test.
“I did not expect that the disregard for the lives of the residents would lead to falsifying the results of the swabs in exchange for money,” he explained.
Al-Tarn indicated that the nurse asked him for 50,000 SYP in exchange for a negative result, while another nurse asked for 5,000 SYP.
Some residents resort to falsifying the results of coronavirus test for several reasons, including traveling or attending a job interview.
Maysam Rashed (a pseudonym), a young woman from Hama, does not deny that she paid 35,000 SYP to get a fake ‘COVID-Free’ certificate.
Rashed said that she did so that she would not miss the opportunity to conduct a job interview at the German embassy in Lebanon.
The total toll of coronavirus infections in the government-held areas has come up to 30,913, including 2,136 deaths and 23,093 recoveries.