The story of Mahmoud: “We stay and deliver services”

Mahmoud Haj is pharmacist working in rural Aleppo, in northern Syria. He works in a health facility supported by WHO with supplies and capacity building for its medical staff.

“I am always happy when the pharmacy is well stocked, so that I can treat my patients. Every day there are people coming to see the specialist and then they come to me. I guide them through their treatment, carefully explaining what they need to do,” Mahmoud explains.

“Over the years, we have run out of stocks several times because there was fighting in and around Aleppo, and this is when things were hard for me. I know that many people depend on these medicines, and they are people from my community that I will see suffering every day. People’s lives depend on these supplies.

A lot of people get angry and some even get violent, demanding the treatment. When this happens I remind myself that they don’t know what they are doing, are sick, and that I’m strong and can support them,” he adds.

Mahmoud has been working in highly stressful environments for the last 3 years, but feels proud he has stayed and supported his community. He is grateful for the guidance and training from WHO, especially to do good needs assessments, to ensure the right drugs are procured in the right quantities.

WHO’s work in north-west Syria is supported by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs pooled funds, the United States Agency for International Development, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), and the governments of Japan, Norway and Sweden.