ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -- Kurdish health officials in northeast Syria warn that the region could face a “humanitarian catastrophe” due to shortages in medicine supplies if the Turkish military operation against Kurdish fighters continues.
Mohammed Said Abdullah is the head of one of the branches of the People's Hospital, a public hospital in Hasaka province. He told Rudaw that hospitals are facing severe shortages in light of the Turkish invasion displacing large amounts of civilians.
“We need more medicine so that we can do our work properly and serve people. We also need a large number of devices as we do not have much,” he told Rudaw.
Abdullah added that public hospitals are lacking vital equipment such as X-Ray machines. What is available is not sufficient to treat the growing numbers of incoming patients.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES) is governed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched Operation Peace Spring on October 9 , which is ongoing despite two Turkish deals with the US and Russia to pause the operation.
Clashes have intensified in recent days, and the Turkish army and the SDF blame each other for violation of the deals.
Mass displacement has put pressure on health providers in other Kurdish-held areas in the region.
Abdulaziz was shot in his side in Tel Tamr after fleeing his hometown. The Arab resident of Sari Kani is receiving treatment in a Hasaka hospital.
One of his relatives told Rudaw that they cannot afford to take him to a private hospital.
“We have come to the public hospital because our financial status is low. We are IDPs and we have left our homes. We are in a dire condition,” he said.
Erbil-based Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) has sent some medicine to northeast Syria, known by Kurds as Rojava, but it is not sufficient.
Jiwan Mustafa is the co-chair of the NES’s health committee. He says that their medicine supplies are only sufficient for a month.
“If the situation continues like this in northeast Syria and the attacks intensify, we will only be able to meet people’s needs for a month. Actually, the whole region will head toward a humanitarian catastrophe if it continues like this,” he warned.
There are about seven branches of People’s Hospital in Rojava.
According to the UN's latest figures, 190,000 people have been displaced since the Turkish invasion began. However, 74,000 people remain displaced as of November 12.
“The fighting has seen civilian casualties in both Syria and Turkey, damage to and closure of critical infrastructure, including health and water treatment facilities, as well as significant forced displacement,” read a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday.
Additional reporting by Rangin Sharo
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