Enab Baladi – Ras al-Ain
Pharmacies in the city of Ras al-Ain, located in northwestern al-Hasakah, are lacking some types of medications, creating a crisis for patients and exacerbating their suffering.
The shortage is due to the closure of all crossings between the city and areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including smuggling routes, since the beginning of 2025. These routes were the means for bringing medications into Ras al-Ain.
This disruption recurs periodically, causing harm to patients, and may result in fatalities. The city of Ras al-Ain and its countryside have recorded numerous deaths due to the interruption of medications, especially for chronic disease patients such as those with heart and vascular diseases and diabetes.
Patients’ pain increases
Maram al-Ali (40) relies on insulin as her primary treatment for her diabetes, having suffered from the disease for 15 years. She used to obtain her medication through individuals coming from al-Hasakah or Raqqa via smuggling routes.
Following the permanent closure of the roads and her inability to access insulin, her health condition deteriorated, especially since she suffers from type 2 diabetes that does not respond to other medications.
After a long struggle, al-Ali managed to obtain insulin from Turkey through a trader using the illegal Ras al-Ain border crossing, but at a high price and through unofficial means.
As for Ahmad al-Jassem (48), his health condition worsened due to the unavailability of his essential medication in pharmacies, leading to increased symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath, as he suffers from a blockage in one of his coronary arteries and has been using medication for eight years.
He told Enab Baladi that he went to the Ras al-Ain hospital to obtain treatment, but the Turkish medications provided to him did not improve his condition as he had hoped, especially since they were new to him.
Missing medications
Pharmacies are the first and primary destination for most residents in Ras al-Ain not only for purchasing medications but also for diagnosing certain diseases and obtaining pain-relieving medications that assist in treatment. However, their absence has created a medical crisis in the city.
Pharmacist Mohammed Fadel from Ras al-Ain stated to Enab Baladi that pharmacies have been suffering from a clear shortage of medications since the fall of the Syrian regime on December 8, 2024, due to the SDF closing all smuggling routes to Ras al-Ain.
He explained that the region relies primarily on Syrian medications coming from storehouses in Raqqa and al-Hasakah, but the closure of the roads has led to the loss of important types of medications, especially those for chronic diseases.
He added that dozens of patients visit his pharmacy daily in search of treatment for themselves or their relatives, but medications are often unavailable.
He pointed out that Turkish medications are available, but there is little demand for them as the residents are accustomed to Syrian medications.
Local council: Alternative Turkish medications
Compared to areas in northern Aleppo, Ras al-Ain is facing a severe shortage of support and lives in a situation similar to a siege and isolation, which hinders efforts to provide necessary support to the medical sector.
The spokesperson for the local council in Ras al-Ain, Ziyad Mousa Malaki, stated to Enab Baladi that Syrian medications have been disrupted due to the closure of roads.
He added that the council, through the Health Directorate, has started to gradually rely on Turkish medications as an alternative, in anticipation of a stabilization of the political situation.
He noted that the National Hospital in Ras al-Ain has provided most of the necessary medications for the residents, where Turkish medications have become an alternative to meet patients’ needs until the situation stabilizes.
General lack of medical services
The shortage of medications is not the only issue that residents face regarding the medical sector. The National Hospital in Ras al-Ain suffers from a lack of qualified medical staff.
The lack of modern medical equipment is a barrier for hospital visitors, with many residents pointing out its inability to provide high-quality healthcare services.
There are no ophthalmologists in Ras al-Ain, and only two pediatricians are available in the city. Some families resort to traveling long distances to the cities of Suluk or Tal Abyad (approximately 120 kilometers away) to secure treatment, adding a financial burden and straining families.
Ras al-Ain is located adjacent to the Turkish border and is controlled by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), while the SDF controls all surrounding areas, making its only access point the Turkish border.