KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Hawa’ climbs Mesthanour Hill with great difficulty. The walk is strenuous, but she has no choice. The hill in Kobani’s west is the site of the city’s last free health center, and Hawa’ needs to renew her prescriptions.
The 70-year-old Hawa’ Abed, a local resident, is upset at the closure of the Kurdish Red Crescent’s medical center in the heart of the city. “It was near and we benefited from it; the new center is too far, it’s not easy for me to come here every now and then.”
In early January, the Kurdish Red Crescent medical center in Kobani was closed as a result of a decision made by its headquarters in the Jazira region (Hasakah Governorate), citing the fact that international NGOs had suspended funding.
Abed told North Press that it is difficult to reach the Meshtanour health center because it is located in a remote and steep area. “It is also too crowded,” she complains.
In light of the spread of multiple diseases this winter, especially the flu, and too poor to afford private healthcare, most residents are forced to go to the Meshtanour health center, which is providing free medical services.
But Abed said that Meshtanour cannot cover the medical needs of all residents, as the city has expanded and its population swelled.
The septuagenarian is calling for the Kurdish Red Crescent center to be reopened so that residents can make use of its free services, especially the elderly and people with limited income.
The city of Kobani is home to about 40.000 residents and has only one medical center that provide free services.
Meshtanour health center provides free services to the residents of the area from 8 am to 3 pm. It consists of four departments: the medical department, the diabetes department, the psychological support department, and the malnutrition department.
Overcrowding
Due to overcrowding, caused by the closure of the Kurdish Red Crescent center, Bozan Hami and his sick child are forced to wait in line for over an hour, as they need to see a doctor.
“It is too crowded here because the Kurdish Red Crescent center has been closed. It is 11 am now and the number of children who have come for a checkup is about 130,” he said.
The father noted that all the patients at Mesthanour are complaining about the long waiting hours. “It is difficult to wait your turn for long periods of times in this cold weather.”
Hami agrees with Abed: the closure of the Kurdish Red Crescent center has greatly affected the residents of the city. Most patients of leishmaniasis, tuberculosis and diabetes were able to be treated and receive free medication there.
He further explained that due to widespread poverty, the fees for medical checkups at privet clinics – about 15.000 SYP (nearly $3) – as well as the medicines’ high prices are unaffordable to them. They are forced to seek out Meshtanour’s free treatment.
Tawfiq Sheikh Ahmad, a doctor at Meshtanour, said that the center used to receive about 350 and 400 patients per day. But after the closure of the Kurdish Red Crescent center, the number of visitors swelled to 500.
The doctor continued, “The staff cannot provide services to all of these patients, so we have to postpone treatment for some cases, despite their bad health condition.” Increased poverty is only aggravating the problem.
On January 17, the Syrian Ministry of Health announced a new round price hikes, some as by 80 percent, for thousands of drugs.
Calls for international support
He notes that about five humanitarian organizations used to support the medical sector in Kobani, but most of these organizations have suspended funding and moved away.
The doctor hopes that humanitarian organizations and the World Health Organization will work to restore aid to the residents of Kobani.