Syria Today | Rise in doctors’ fees unpopular

Rise in doctors’ fees unpopular

The Ministry of Health doubled the fees for treatment in private clinics and hospitals last month. The cost of visiting a doctor now ranges from SYP 500 (USD 11) to SYP 1,000 (USD 22). Syria Today hit the streets to gauge public reaction.

Ali Fares, 24, tour guide: “My brother has asthma and has to visit a specialist doctor every month. It’s not fair that he now has to pay SYP 1,000 every time he needs to see a doctor. This is expensive and the medicine he takes is pricey too.”

Dania Kattan, 27, dentist: “Medical practitioners should be free to decide for themselves what fees they will charge their patients. Of course, they should always charge fair fees and be flexible, taking into consideration the patient’s individual circumstances. Our fees are neither low nor high compared to other countries in the region. Now that doctors can charge higher fees if they have a lot of experience or are more specialised, it might encourage them to work harder within the profession. For Syrians, the consequences of these changes aren’t that drastic as there are still many public hospitals where they can go to for treatment.”

Sohail Rahhal, 64, retiree: “I have diabetes, I’m retired and both of my children live outside the country. What would happen to me if I didn’t have health insurance? I would be struggling alone. Raising fees and taxes is always going to be a huge problem for Syrians, especially those who cannot find a job.”

Rofayda A’ysheh, 34, housewife: “It’s unfair. I keep thinking about those poor people who have illnesses which require them to visit the doctor every month or so. It’s going to be expensive. Now I’m wondering how I would be able to treat my two children if my husband wasn’t a civil servant. Doctors in Syria have always been in the elite, their old fees were high enough. If their fees should be increased then so should our salaries.”