NW Syria’s looming humanitarian crisis: unemployment, exploitation, monopoly, low salaries and deteriorating medical services
The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world has worsened the Syrians’ catastrophic reality, especially after the closure of crossings which exacerbated the economic crisis and led to the interruption of support and lack of basic supplies throughout Syria.
After announcement of the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic, the economic situation in Syria deteriorated greatly, increasing tragedy of the Syrians who still suffer from nightmare of a seemingly endless war.
In northern Idlib, some warlords exploited the conditions of families who fled regime military operations in south and east of Idlib, north of Hama and west of Aleppo to Syria-Turkey border in the north. Those warlords have increased rent tariffs by 50%, since the displaced civilians have to pay 150 U.S. dollars a month, compared to only 100 USD. Some others are asked to pay for several months in advance .
Before the ceasefire agreement between Russia and Turkey, many civilians from areas around the western countryside of Aleppo were forced to flee as regime operations and bombardment approached their areas. The warlords returned after ceasefire came into effect to exploit harsh conditions of these displaced people. Tent prices more than doubled, exceeding 130 USD after being sold for no more than 60 USD. Meanwhile, the cost of building a new house reaches a level unaffordable by the many, after the spike in prices of cement, sand and gravel because of the increase in exchange rate of U.S. dollar and fuel prices.
The recent spike in exchange rate of U.S. dollar is reflected in the prices of all foodstuff and goods, along with the high price of gasoline which is mainly relied on in laboratories, companies, factories and machines; this, in turn, raised the price of bread, vegetable, fruit, costs of transportation, electricity and water bills. Also the prices of cement, petrol, gas cylinders, sugar, margarine, oil and all basic supplies have increased, although all of these substances are abundantly available in “liberated areas”. On the other hand, “Salvation Government” raised the cost of internet packages in net cafes which adversely affected many people.
In rebels-held areas, workers’ daily wages range from 2,000 to 3,500 SYL, while the employee’s average monthly salary is 200 USD. Meanwhile, the price of a kilo of chicken meat has risen from 600 SYL to 1,800 SYL and a single egg is now sold for 100 SYL ( three eggs were being sold for the same price not so long ago).
There are two main reasons behind the high prices of chicken and eggs: the first is the regime’s control of Saraqeb city and surrounding areas and being close to Sarmin city. Saraqeb and Sarmin are the most important sources of chicken meat and eggs. The second reason is related to the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and gasoline price, since poultry farm owners use generators that run on gasoline, and buy fodder in U.S. dollars. The prices of fish have also risen for the same reasons following the regime’s control of Sahl Al-Ghab, in which the price of a kilo of carp ranges between 2,500 SYL to 6,500 SYL.
Separately, Syrian Observatory activists have monitored unprecedented increase in the prices of masks, medical gloves and sterilizers after the spread of the novel coronavirus, at a time when civilians’ low income makes those items unaffordable. The price of a single mask has risen from 30 SYL to 300 SYL, which means that the virus will likely spread easily in the rebels-held areas.
All of these unfavourable economic developments left civilians suffering from malnutrition and lack of health care in the wake of all of these unjustified high prices, adding extra risks to the lives and safety of the Syrians especially if the virus reaches these areas.
In north-western Syria region, people do not pay much attention to the danger of coronavirus, as “the virus does not pose any threats” –as they say- if it is compared to the horrors they have experienced because of regime and Russian brutality in the region over the past years. The regime and Russian aerial and ground operations have displaced some three million people in a very small area in NW Syria.
Medical teams think of this global catastrophe that has not reached yet the northern Syria from another point of view, especially with myriad overcrowded camps in this region. The smallest camp in the area accommodates at least 50 families without getting any kind of health care or awareness.
Doctors fear for the lives and safety of people in these overcrowded camps, since people there always mingle which makes these camps as time-bombs if the epidemic starts to take hold and spread. Relevant bodies have stressed that it will be a disaster if only one case confirmed infected in northern areas. They also wonder about how civilians will be prevented from getting out of their homes if a curfew is imposed to stop the spread of the virus, especially since most civilians have to work daily to earn their living.
Medical sources said “It will impossible to combat the novel coronavirus in these camps if it starts to spread, how a curfew can be imposed in a camp in which every 100 persons use one toilet and one water tank!! How the situation will be!!”
Officials who are responsible for the medical sector in refugee camps in towns of northern Syria have said that they will face a real catastrophic situation which will be out of control, if even one person gets infected.
For their part, owners of medical warehouses and pharmacies exploited the recent crisis and raised the price of medical supplies, including masks, medical gloves and sterilizers. The price of a single mask reaches 50 SYL up to 500, while a package of medical gloves is sold for five U.S. dollars after being sold for no more than two U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, most of medical warehouses’ owners sell their products only in large batches.
The deteriorating economic situation in northern Syria coincides with the sharp fall in exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the U.S. dollar, and the sharp decline in the provision of relief and medical supplies and escalating unemployment.
The group most affected by the spike in exchange rate of the U.S. dollar is people on fixed income, while merchants and everyone who can change the prices of their products to meet the amount of inflation take advantage of such situation.
The monthly average living expenses of a middle-class family in N Syria approximates 350,000 SYL, not to mention the cost of house rent.
Medical sources said, “a humanitarian crisis is looming in the rebels-held areas which suffer from acute lack of essential medical services and deteriorating services sector because of the bombardment by regime forces and allies on hospitals and medical facilities”. The remaining hospitals are fully functional treating the patients of destroyed hospitals. With such large number of patients receiving treatment at the same time, medical crews come under severe pressure both mentally and physically.
On the other hand, civil defense sterilizes public facilities and streets, and provides residents in Idlib with information on how to prevent infection, at a time when the health system is on the verge of almost complete collapse because of earlier successive attacks by regime forces and allies.