Residents of Qamishli in northeastern Syria are suffering from rising medication prices, which vary from one pharmacy to another, with pharmacists fearing the disruption of certain medicines that come from the capital, Damascus.

The rise in medicine prices has created problems for Mrs. Samira Jundi (55 years old) in Qamishli, who has been suffering from asthma for 31 years and is forced to gradually pay increasing amounts for her medications.

Mrs. Jundi uses the asthma inhaler “Salbutamol,” which she recently purchased for 45,000 Syrian pounds, having previously paid 42,500 pounds for it. She mentioned that the inhaler lasts her a month during the summer, but only supports her for two or three weeks at this time of year.

She noted that the price of the inhaler is linked to the exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the US dollar, and she always buys it at a higher price when the value of the pound decreases or fluctuates, with every 12,000 Syrian pounds equivalent to one dollar.

Mrs. Jundi highlighted the presence of organizations distributing medicines for free, such as the Kurdish Red Crescent and others, but they do not distribute consistently. Those suffering from chronic illnesses cannot always wait for these distributions, as there are often long lines to obtain medications.

According to a reporter from Enab Baladi in Qamishli, medicine prices have risen and varied among pharmacies without any mechanisms or regulations in place.

Concerns about medicine shortages

Djawar Tammo, a pharmacist working in Qamishli, stated that the prices of medicines are set by factories and companies in Damascus, and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has no control over this. However, prices rise due to taxes imposed when medicines enter northeastern Syria.

The pharmacist provided an example of a fever-reducing medicine, which costs 11,000 Syrian pounds in Damascus and increases immediately upon entering the territories controlled by the Autonomous Administration.

He sees that those who suffer the most from rising prices are those who require ongoing medications for chronic illnesses. For example, the price of the medication for high blood pressure and diabetes “Meticron” reaches 20,000 pounds, “Unocron” is 13,500 pounds, “Clomid” is 23,000 pounds, and “Percocet” as a blood pressure reducer costs 9,500 pounds.

Like other pharmacists interviewed by Enab Baladi, he fears the potential shortage of medicines coming from Damascus, given the unclear political situation between Damascus and the Autonomous Administration.

The recurring high prices and variations in medicine prices are also observed in al-Hasakah province, especially for those medications needed by individuals with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and neurological disorders.

Some residents may be forced to use foreign alternative medicines, bearing their risks due to their unknown sources, or they may resort to obtaining them from Damascus or Aleppo through deliveries from travelers coming from those areas.

The Autonomous Administration‘s role is limited to attempting to organize operations and regulate the prices of medicine warehouses, without any practical solutions.