A Syrian medical official revealed that the number of psychiatrists in Syria currently does not exceed 45 doctors in the whole country, while the country’s need amounts to about 10,000 doctors.
The director of the Ibn Sina Hospital for Mental Illnesses in Damascus, Dr. Ayman Daaboul, told the local radio station (Melody FM) that “Syria, as a country, needs about 10,000 psychiatrists at a minimum, according to the population,” noting that the shortage is not a result of today, but even before In 2011, there were only 60 psychiatrists.
Daaboul considered that the reason for the lack of interest in this specialty is primarily due to “the social stigma as well as the stigma on the mentally ill, resulting from the doctor’s work.”
“The psychiatrist always portrays that his hair is messy and his clothes are eccentric,” he added, and the other reason is the financial factor and the low wages of psychiatrists.
He pointed out that the number of specialists in Ibn Sina Hospital for Mental Diseases is only 2 compared to 480 patients in addition to three residents, indicating that the hospital needs 30 doctors, in addition to the shortage of other specialties and nursing.
The former medical director of Ibn Sina Hospital confirmed that “the psychiatrist is ready to work in a falafel restaurant and is not ready to work in Ibn Sina Hospital because it only brings ruin and end to the doctor,” as he described it.
“One of the reasons for the cadre and administrative failure is the appointment of non-psychiatric doctors as managers of psychiatric hospitals. While no one knows the needs of this hospital and how to deal with patients and hospital staff except the psychiatrist,” he added.
The medical sector in Syria is suffering from depletion due to the emigration of large numbers of doctors during the 11-year war.
The country in particular suffers from a significant shortage of anesthesiologists, due to low wages and poor infrastructure in public hospitals. Sources from the Ministry of Health confirmed the country’s need for at least 1,500 doctors to cover the shortage.