Abou Faour: RHUH Should Either be Closed or Salvaged

Minister of Health Wael Abou Faour stated that the Rafik Hariri University Hospital could be closed if the state did not take the necessary measure to counter that threat, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

“The hospital is literally dying and the state is facing one of two options to either transform it into a real hospital or close it,” Abu Faour said.

“During the last cabinet session, I asked the President and PM to to include the hospital issue on the parliament's agenda which could give me a chance to suggest a plan to salvage the hospital,” the minister added.

He voiced fears that if the state failed to adopt the plan it should have the courage to close the government-run institution.

“Things should not continue the way they are. What is happening at the hospital is shameful,” he lamented.

However, Abu Faour did not rule out the possibility that the hospital could be saved but said: “ Unfortunately there are drastic and severe measures that need to be taken.”

On the other hand, Dr. Wassim Wazzan, General Director of RHUH told the Voice of Lebanon Radio (100.5) in an interview on Friday that “the medical institution is facing a financial crisis, and it has been a target for campaigns since its establishment.”

“We took an LL8 billion loan to pay the salaries of employees and to fund for medications and medical supplies. The solution to our crisis is to assign a new board of directors and pay for the hospital suppliers, doctors and let the state take care of the maintenance,” Wazzan concluded.

On its part, As Safir daily said that the 1064 hospital employees plan to escalate protests starting Friday if the financial and administrative crisis at the hospital is not solved.

Recent media reports emerged about corruption and shortage in medical supplies, in addition to the incapability of the hospital to receive patients.

-D.A.

-G.K.