'6 months after the earthquake our patients are like part of the family'

Six months after a power earthquake, Salahedin is still at beck and call. And with good reason: his home is barely 100 yards from the hospital he manages. He has lost count of the number of trips he has made back and forth between his office and home since the disaster rocked Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

This hospital director is used to dealing with emergencies. Originally from Aleppo, Salahedin previously worked in a facility that was bombed "hundreds of times," he says. But in his opinion, the violence of gunfire is nothing compared to that of an earthquake.

"I've nearly died several times, but I've never been so afraid for my life and that of my children... For a few minutes, I didn't know whether I'd be able to protect them from the worst."

An endless stream of casualties

In the days and weeks following the earthquake, more than 1,500 survivors were treated at the hospital. Nearly all of them—1,130 patients—underwent surgery there.

"A few hours after the violent tremors, we saw injured people arriving from villages 10, 15 and 20 miles from our town. It was as if a river had burst its banks... a never-ending flow of patients – women, men, children – soaked by the rain, some seriously injured. Civilians were helping us carry the wounded from one room to another, from one floor to another. I remember mothers looking for their children, orphans... For the first 48 hours, my teams and I stayed at the hospital. We never slept. It was hell."

Some patients with severe trauma, particularly those suffering from crush syndrome after being trapped under the rubble for several hours, underwent dozens of operations.

"We have patients who have been in the hospital for several months. After seeing them through intensive care, psychological support and then rehabilitation, we've built up a very strong bond. Six months on, we're like one big family," he tell us.

Each face is engraved in his memory 

He tells the story of Rema, a 13-year-old girl whose leg was amputated after she was trapped under the rubble for 30 hours, and with whom he has developed a very special relationship.

"Rema arrived with her leg amputated. I was very quickly informed that her father had died in the disaster, but I couldn't tell her because she needed all her strength to survive. I started coming to visit her in her room on the second or third day after she was admitted. My little sister was the same age as her, so maybe that's what affected me. Every day, I went back to see her and told her how strong she was, that she was a hero and that she was going to get through this. Sometimes, when she didn't see me in the ward, she would ask my teams where I was. This month, Rema passed her secondary school entrance exams and is walking on both her legs again thanks to the prosthesis given to her. I'm so happy for her."

Rema, Abdul-Rahman, Mariam... Salahedin remembers every face, every name that he has come across over the last six months. Each of their stories is forever etched in his memory.

"If we have to deal with another earthquake in the future, I can assure you that my teams and I are 100% ready. We had experience of war, and now we have experience of this type of natural disaster. We are caregivers; people need us. We must remain strong and not give up, because without us, they would lose faith in the future."

Humanity & Inclusion's emergency aid

Since the February 6 earthquake, HI’s health teams comprised of staff and partners have been providing emergency response in 13 hospitals and 13 shelters in the regions of Idlib and Northern Aleppo.

In all, 10,500 injured people were assessed and received rehabilitation services. Specialists conducted more than 22,000 physical therapy sessions. The organization has also supplied 8,000 mobility aids, as well as 300 artificial limbs and braces. Psychosocial support teams provided psychological first aid to 8,300 people.

In addition, 3,500 people participated awareness-raising sessions on earthquake safety and the dangers of explosive devices, which already contaminated the area and were shifted by the disaster.