Lebanon: 6 hospitals to halt medical services

BEIRUT

Six university hospitals will suspend patient admissions and medical services because of the economic crisis in Lebanon, according to reports Saturday.

The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), Lebanese American University Medical Center – Rizk Hospital, Saint Georges University Hospital, Hôpital Notre-Dame des Secours, Hotel-Dieu University Hospital, and Mount Lebanon Hospital issued a joint statement that said payment of health care services can be made by check or bank transfers instead of cash.

Pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies insist on collecting receivables from hospitals in cash.

A recent request by the Medical Equipment & Devices Importers’ Syndicate to the hospitals said in order to continue receiving medical supplies, 85% of dues must be in cash in Lebanese pounds and 15% in foreign currency.

"All institutions are in crisis until we get out of this situation,” said Prime Minister Saad Hariri. “We need time and we have to carry out the reforms that we agreed to at the Pine Palace,” he added, referring to the French Embassy in Beirut.
Lebanon’s president assigned Hariri, the leader of the Future Movement, to form a new government on Thursday, less than a year after Hariri’s last government resigned.

Hariri served as premier twice, from 2009 to 2011 and from 2016 until January 2020, before being replaced by the current government.

He comes from a political dynasty, as the son of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.