The Syrian government has finally started its vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus in the country that went to war last week.
Al Jazeera learned through reliable sources that Bashar al-Assad’s government received 5,000 doses from a country he refused to name and described as “friendly”. The first jabs were given to facial health workers spread across several major hospitals in the country.
But many in government-controlled areas and rebels worry that they could be left out of the vaccination campaign if done without any international scrutiny.
Moreover, while the government is furtive about what vaccine it received and who established the bill, many in Syria say it is an open intention that Sputnik V of Russia was purchased by Israel – claimed under a prisoner exchange contract.
Most Syrians do not trust Moscow – an alliance of al-Assad government accused of destroying at least 600 health facilities in the country among all other types of infrastructure – or Israel, Syria’s historical enemy.
Local activists and international supporters say the government could use Russia’s vaccine as a tool to attract supporters and punish its opponents in the 10-year conflict. The al-Assad government has been repeatedly accused of banning food and medical aid to areas held by or supporting rebels, and for stealing it as well.
They say that while they cannot control the spread of Russia’s vaccines, they urge the international community to monitor doses given through COVAX – a global campaign aimed at giving COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries.
‘I can’t trust’ the government
COVAX is led by UNICEF, Gavi, and the World Health Organization (WHO), and plans to vaccinate 20 percent of the Syrian population, including the northwest and northeast, by the end this year.
In the first installment, it would provide the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (AZ-SII) to cover part of the 3 per cent of the total identified. Doses are expected to reach Syria in about four weeks.
“The indicated distribution is 912,000 doses,” WHO representative in Syria Akjemal Magtymova told Al Jazeera. “A further 336,000 doses of AZ-SII will be delivered through cross-border equipment to address high-risk populations in Northwestern Syria. Together it would cover a large proportion of the 3 per cent of the total population at this first stage. “
While the northwestern Syrian border with COVAX through the Turkish city of Gaziantep would be reached, the northeast controlled by Kurdish rebels would be handed over through the Syrian health ministry in Damascus.
The Human Rights Guard (HRW) and other post-conflict activists in Syria say the government is likely to come up with a stratagem to bring the vaccine to the northeast.
In a report published last month, HRW said the regime had never shouted at “holding back health care as a weapon of war”, and if it added the same rulebook to its vaccination could spur the global effort to keep the pandemic at bay.
Furthermore, given the success of Russia’s United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in securing a closed northeastern cross-border opening, HRW stated that there is “no sure channel for vaccine circulation for two million people living there ”.
“The Northeast is not under government control and not under UNSC cross-border equipment, which means that Damascus is the only way aid agencies can get in,” said Syrian researcher Sara Kayyali at HRW.
“We have already refused Damascus to allow laboratories to test for COVID in the northeast. Going with his previous discrimination record we cannot rely on the government alone to get the vaccines through to the north east. “
‘Israel is bombing Syria’
The WHO Magtymova, however, looked confident in government cooperation.
“Last week I was in a polio vaccination campaign that also covers northeastern Syria,” she said, referring to how international organizations and the Syrian government co-operate. routinely ordering the needs of Syrian vaccines, including the rebellious northeast.
Despite WHO affirmations and promises, many Syrians show distrust in government, allies and enemies alike.
Abu Mohammad *, a 63-year-old farmer who demanded that his real name not be used, said he had no hope of getting the vaccine under the standard license.
“The regime will ensure that it only vaccinates those it believes are more loyal to it,” he said. “It makes no sense for people to be hungry for this regime. and fighting them by refusing them a loaf of bread taking care of their health. “
Damascus-based Ahmad, who just wanted to use his first name, spoke about the coronavirus uprising in the capital that was kept secret by the government. He said that although he lives in the midst of the deadly virus in the country, he would not accept Sputnik V.
“Russian vaccine for Syrians after his bombs killed so many Syrians,” he said cheerfully. “Not just me, no Syrian can trust this vaccine.”
Hani *, a dentist in the Al-Midan neighborhood of Damascus, was angry about the government’s back-up contract reported by Israel.
“Israel is bombing Syria every day and no one from the regime is moving a finger,” said Hani, also using a pseudonym for security reasons. “The vaccine may be a reward for regime officials.”
Dr Ziad al-Mahamid from the city of Deraa launched a campaign called Together against Coronavirus to counter a health crisis when the hospitals in the south-west town received no help from the authorities. He said that despite the crisis, the Syrian people can never rest in peace to accept help from Israelis.
“We rejected American medical cargo only because it had to pass from the occupied areas even though we desperately needed it,” he said of a recent incident to show hostility between the two countries.
Strategic movement
The Syrian system has denied reports that Israel has been paid for by the vaccine and has been touted as a deliberate media leak intended to portray Israel “as a human country”.
Israeli journalists, however, have widely reported on the said $ 1m it would cost Israel to buy the vaccine for Syrians.
Analysts say that while the facts have been deliberately held, Russia has been working slowly and steadily on reducing relations between President al-Assad and Israel . They say Israel’s purchase of vaccines for Syria is a strategic move, if that is true, and not a humanitarian movement.
But some in southern Syria on the border with Israel say the neighbor they were taught as an enemy may have been more disorganized than their own government.
Abu Adam lives in Quneitra in the southeast of the border under dispute with Israel. He said his attitude towards Israel had changed since he began providing a lot of support to communities on the border.
“In fact, we really hate Israel. But during the Syrian uprising, I dealt with them and found that they are very good people. They put food and medicine and all kinds of aid all those years, ”said Abu Adam. “If anyone offers me the Israel vaccine, I would be happy to take it.”
There are many other challenges in protecting the Syrian population, including the destruction of half of its health care infrastructure and the migration of 70 percent of medical professionals.
But in the long list of daily inconveniences that Syrians have to deal with – the inability to feed loved ones, lack of fuel to run shops or keep children warm on cold nights and constant fear that a waterfall could -any agreement to cost them their lives – coronavirus vaccine is at the bottom.
“I have to worry first about getting bread for my family,” Abu Mohammad said. “The vaccine can wait.”
* Names have been changed for security reasons