While rushing to help people in the Coronavirus combat, the Lebanese Red Cross volunteers are being rejected by private hospitals. Out of fear of them having the virus, several hospitals in Beirut are shutting their doors in front of these superheroes.
In a recent interview on MTV, Secretary-General Mr. Georges Kettaneh asserted that this has happened with several hospitals in the last ten days.
Nowadays, the hospitals are afraid of anyone having a fever whether it’s a normal fever or a Coronavirus fever, especially hospitals with no preparedness.
Truly, this is unacceptable! We may understand this fear, but hospitals cannot accept refusing patients, let alone the Red Cross volunteers.
According to Mr. Kettaneh, this issue is being handled by the Ministry of Health. He appealed though for hospitals to prepare several rooms for the COVID-19 patients.
Unfortunately, Rafik Hariri University Hospital will not be able to treat all the Coronavirus cases whose total number has reached 99 so far.
For that, it’s imperative that private hospitals step up, prepare themselves, and join the national fight, enacting as such the very reason for their existence.
It has been even shocking that these hospitals are not acting only afraid of people with fever, but also of any Red Cross ambulance coming near them.
It gets one wonder, really, since the LRC teams are also carrying their usual mission of responding to all other causes, including accidents, transporting patients, etc. Hence, not every LRC ambulance contains a Coronavirus case.
Mr. Kettaneh assured that the volunteers’ safety comes first. Therefore, even if they are not dealing with a coronavirus case, they wear specialized costumes and take all the necessary precautions.
So, according to him. there’s no need to be afraid of these volunteers who are putting their health at risk to take care of ours.
A few days ago, MP Issam Araji announced to MTV that 11 governmental hospitals across Lebanon will be able to treat Coronavirus patients. Until then, private hospitals around the country should make all the necessary adjustments and start acting humanely and do what they are supposed to do.
This phase Lebanon is living concerns us all without exception, and more particularly all hospitals and health workers who have taken an oath to serve patients, do everything possible to heal them, and save lives.
We are all in this together. It is a national fight. Instead of rejecting the LRC, we should all stand by their side, and make their mission easier, especially now.
The LRC is running out of funds as each Coronavirus response costs 850$. It’s urgent that we support them so they will be able to continue their tremendous work in helping to contain the outbreak and saving lives.
