The private hospitals on Wednesday launched a new cry of alarm in the face of the health situation in the country and warned of an “inevitable catastrophe in the days to come”, deploring their inability to provide oxygen, drugs and medical equipment to treat patients with Covid-19, in a Lebanon in the midst of socio-economic collapse.
The number of daily coronavirus infections has almost doubled in a month, which worries, in addition to hospitals, the Lebanese authorities.
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In a press release published by several media, the union of private hospitals deplored the “sharp rise in the number of coronavirus contaminations in recent days as well as the growing number of hospitalizations, especially in intensive care”. “The union warns against this dangerous situation, many hospitals having closed the departments dedicated to the treatment of patients with Covid-19 due to economic difficulties and lack of staff”, deplores the press release which warns against a ” health disaster inevitable in the days to come “.
Call for “direct and urgent” help
“With regard to the coronavirus, hospitals are completely unable to provide oxygen, the necessary laboratory reagents, drugs and the necessary equipment in view of the difficult conditions imposed by the importers”, adds the document. The removal of subsidies for the importation of this equipment caused a considerable increase in their price in view of the depreciation of the local currency. The union also regretted the exodus of nursing and medical staff. Last September, the WHO indicated that “nearly 40% of qualified doctors and nearly 30% of nurses have already left the country permanently or temporarily”. Private hospitals have also denounced the fact of not having received the funds that the State was to pay them for the year 2021 and part of the funds due in previous years, which further widened their budget. The hospitals finally called on the authorities to provide “urgent aid to hospitals so that they can accommodate patients who have contracted the coronavirus”, as well as “the funds, resources and equipment” they need. They also called on the international community to help them “directly and urgently”.
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Hospitals had repeatedly sounded the alarm, especially at the end of 2020 and early 2021, when they found themselves overwhelmed with patients without being able to obtain the necessary drugs to treat them. As part of the fight against the pandemic which is gaining ground in the country, the Supreme Defense Council recommended on Wednesday the extension of the state of general mobilization in Lebanon until March 31, 2022.
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Private hospitals on Wednesday issued a new cry of alarm in the face of the health situation in the country and warned of an “inevitable catastrophe in the days to come”, deploring their inability to provide oxygen, drugs and medical equipment to treat patients with Covid-19, in a collapsing Lebanon …
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