Surgeon’s amazing journey out of Syrian hell
Former refugee ‘just wants to save lives’
“IMAGINE yourself operating on a patient when you are being attacked by barrel bombs and missiles. Your hands are shaking, the hospital is shaking, soil could go in the patient’s wounds while you are operating and then you have to wait a while until the strike stops and carry on.”
These days, Dr Ayman Alshiekh, 38, is a surgeon in an immaculate, hospital in Manchester city centre.
But only a few years ago, the doctor was facing the unthinkable – trying to save lives in a bloody field hospital in Syria, being hunted by a brutal regime.
Ayman spent his childhood in his beloved home country of Syria, one of the world’s most ancient centres of culture. Attending primary school, he dreamed of becoming a doctor, understanding from the beginning that he was called to come to the aid of those in need.
From his primary school days, he excelled in sciences, working hard to get the grades to pursue an education in medicine. Ayman graduated from the University of Aleppo in 2010 and started his training in vascular surgery in Damascus.
But by 2011, Syria was not a peaceful place to call home anymore. Protests began in March of that year, amid shoots of hope that the country’s authoritarian ruler Bashar alAssad might be overthrown.
Ayman was among the young people taking part in what has since become known as the Arab Spring, where protests for a move to democracy spread across the region to the likes of Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain. But the dictator responded with a campaign of violence and terror against those pleading for a fairer world.
In the middle of his third year of training, Ayman was forced to abandon his studies. Ayman suddenly found himself at the heart of a revolution and began work as a war surgeon in a field hospital.
“Our hospitals were always a magnet for attacks. We were attacked by missiles, by bombs, simply because we were treating casualties,” he said.
“That was considered a crime by the regime. Due to the siege, no medical supplies could get into Aleppo. We had to make do with what we had. When you are a war surgeon in Aleppo, the most important thing is saving lives. “Everything else comes second.” Despite his lifesaving work, the regime then turned on Ayman. He told the M.E.N: “I was one of the protesters as well, but I actually didn’t expect that the government would start shooting at us, firing directly at our chests, towards us.
“I felt that it was my duty to help these demonstrators because they couldn’t go to the government hospitals. They would be arrested – and maybe killed – even in hospital, because the government does not respect a hospital as a special place where people should be treated irrespective of political opinions.
“In Syria, the government attacked them, killed them, tortured them, arrested them. Many of my colleagues and fellow students started to treat patients in underground hospitals, hidden from the security forces of the Assad regime.
“Because of that, some of my colleagues were arrested. Under torture, unfortunately, they named us.
“Then I became a wanted person for the regime because I was just treating those demonstrators and protesters.”
Ayman often felt helpless as he watched people arrive at hospital, unable to be saved. He could do nothing but stand by as security forces came to the hospital and arrested them.
“We finished one man’s operation, and security forces were standing in front of the theatre room,” said the doctor.
“When we wanted to take him to the ICU after five hours of operation, they took his trolley and then took him away. Where? We don’t know.”
The years wore on and Ayman found joy in a life cursed by conflict on his doorstep – marriage and a family – but that brought new fears.
Ayman told the M.E.N.: “In 2015, I had my son, so then I had responsibilities for my family. I stayed in Aleppo and we were under siege by the Syrian military forces, Russian forces and Iranian forces.
“After that, we were forcibly displaced out of Aleppo. I went to Idlib, another province in Syria, and I worked there in another hospital for almost an additional year.”
Around 15 months later, he had a daughter. “I started to feel that I couldn’t sacrifice myself, I had a wife and two kids. The Assad gang, with the help of Russian and Iranian forces, were taking areas and I was scared to be under siege again now that I had a family.”
The doctor managed to get his family asylum in Turkey – while he stayed behind in Syria continuing to save lives.
“When the barrel bombs started to fall over us in 2014, I was already working in a field hospital and I couldn’t concentrate on treating people because I was always thinking about my family. When I moved them to Turkey, I could at least concentrate on my job,” said Ayman.
After years on the frontline, Ayman faced his options – stay in Syria and be killed by an airstrike on his hospital, or be killed by the regime for helping the opposition.
He was forced to flee and, unable to apply for a visa and wait for the result under the constant threat of death, Ayman attempted the dangerous journey as a refugee across Europe.
Aiming for the UK as a safe haven, he knew the journey would be treacherous, but there were too many stories of refugees being caught and ‘assassinated’ by Syrian authorities on the continent to stay in mainland Europe. Ayman struggled to speak about this part of his story. It’s just too traumatic, he says.
He arrived at the end of 2018 ‘in the back of a lorry’ with little money and very few possessions.
“I faced even more danger than I had in Syria, the journey was difficult. I claimed asylum. Six months later, I was granted refugee status, thankfully,” said Ayman.
“A few months after I got my status, I applied for a family reunion application and managed to bring them to me a few months later.
“In the UK, there is always freedom, that is the law. All people are respected, our opinions are respected, we are believed.
“I feel that the UK is more safe than Europe because it is separated from the lands of Europe.
“Being in the UK is a protection from the Syrian regime because it’s as far away as possible.
“In addition, English as a language is maybe the first spoken language in the world.
“I studied English as a second language at school in Syria and it is also the language of medicine as well.”
After an incredible, terrifying life in Syria and journey to the UK, in his mid-30s, Ayman settled in Manchester. Despite his years in the field, Ayman had to regain his qualifications to practise in the UK.
The Manchester Evening News first spoke to Dr Alshiekh in 2021 as he was going through British medical training, passing exams, getting registered with the General Medical Council, and working as a junior doctor in Salford Royal Hospital.
Two years on, the doctor has given an update on his journey after managing to secure a role at Manchester Royal Infirmary where he now works as senior clinical fellow in vascular surgery – which is a core speciality in the hospital’s major trauma service.
He told the M.E.N in 2021: “Nobody in the world, knowing they will face these difficulties during the journey to seek asylum, would choose to do that. If their country was safe, nobody would leave a normal life and put their life and family at risk to follow this journey.
“If I had a normal life in Syria I would never have sought asylum and come illegally to the UK. That’s the same for many refugees.
“I wish to pay back some of that kindness I have had here in the UK, to the people here.
“And to do my duty in the hospitals by saving lives and treating the people who need me.
“I’m planning to apply what I learned as a field surgeon, especially in trauma, here and this can help my colleagues and I can learn from them on subjects I lack as well, which is really great. All the consultants, my colleagues, and the nurses, make you feel like we are a family, we are a team.”
Professor Jane Eddleston, Joint Group Medical Director at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the MRI, said: “I cannot begin to imagine the horrors Ayman must have seen during his time helping patients on the front line in Syria, and it’s wonderful that he and his family have found a home in Manchester.
“We are very fortunate to have a colleague of his experience and mental fortitude within our major trauma services supporting critically ill patients in Manchester.”
While the majority of Ayman’s family has settled in Turkey, Ayman was able to bring his wife and children over to live with him in Manchester in 2019. His children are now aged seven and six.
“They’re amazing,” he said. “Three years, and their English is better than mine. They’re little Mancunian kids!”
One day in the future, Ayman hopes to return to his homeland.
He said: “I want to help my people there and help rebuild our health system from everything I have learned here.”
I wish to pay back some of that kindness I have had here in the UK, to the people here Dr Ayman Alshiekh