Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Lebanese government of neglecting health workers who are exposed to coronavirus in hospitals.
Aya Majdhoub, a researcher with the organization, said that "health workers are the backbone of the fight against Covid-19 in Lebanon, yet the state ignores their protection and health. If the Lebanese government does not put in place effective and coordinated policies to deal with the economic crisis, hospitals will soon no longer be able to provide the necessary care to citizens".
In a report, HRW pointed out that the state owes large sums of money to hospitals; debts that have increased due to the devaluation of the national currency by around 80% and inflation that has exceeded 100%. The economic crisis combined with the global health crisis has had a strong impact on public health in Lebanon.
The difficulties of the hospital sector are increasing with the increase in coronavirus contaminations. In this context, Firas Labayedh, director of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital (the establishment that receives the largest number of patients affected by Covid-19), stated that the capacity of the intensive care unit has reached its limits despite the recent enlargements of the same unit. The director explained that the shortage is caused by the increase in serious cases and the time it takes for patients already admitted to the ward to recover.
Firas Labayedh also criticized the government for being late in paying its debts to hospitals.
العربية 
English