SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 29 March 2024, Friday |

Will the proposed Parliament law save governmental hospital employees?

Saida Governmental Hospital is one of many public hospitals in Lebanon that reflects the staffs’ suffering. Being at the frontline, hospital workers have played a prominent role in curbing the spread of Covid-19, however they are deprived from their basic rights.

Workers in governmental hospitals have iterated appeals to join them to the public administration. The Parliamentary Health Committee have discussed the proposed law, which puts employees in public institutions through the retirement and pension system. So will the enactment of this law save governmental hospitals in Lebanon?

The Head of Saida Governmental Hospital Staff Committee, Khalil Kaeen, said to “Sawt Beirut International” reporter Sarah Chehadeh: “The law has been referred to a sub-committee to study it, and we hope this law secures all our rights.”

“There are 4,500 employees in governmental hospitals suffering from problems related to receiving their salaries and grants. The employees at Saida hospitals didn’t receive their salaries during the holiday.”

The shortage in medical equipment and supplies threatens the health sector and vows of a health disaster, as this shortage will affect the quality of the healthcare services provided. Intensive care official in the Covid-19 department of Saida Governmental Hospital Alaa Al Bayoumi told “Sawt Beirut International” that “the scarcity in medical supplies will impact the nursing and medical services severely and affect the patients’ health.

About their salaries, Al Bayoumi said that receiving the dues is an old renewed problem that concerned ministries should resolve it thoroughly by joining governmental hospital employees to the public administration. ”

In light of the drop in Covid-19 infections, health workers suggest finding alternative plans for reactivating the work of hospitals and limiting Corona patients to specialized centers. Al-Bayoumi said: “It is unacceptable that a University Governmental hospital that used to receive 100 patients, is now receiving only 10 patients, and this is because the hospital has been know lately that is specialized for coronavirus cases, although we thank God that the number of infections is contracting.”

Governmental hospitals have sounded alarm. Officials and concerned ministries should intervene immediately, otherwise, a health disaster will arise.

 

 

    Source:
  • Sawt Beirut International