Lebanon’s top public hospital is now rationing electricity and has turned off air conditioning despite rising summer temperatures, its director said, as long power cuts and a severe economic crisis brings the healthcare sector to its knees.
Firass Abiad, who heads the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, shared on Twitter a request he sent to the caretaker Energy Minister pleading for the hospital to be spared long electricity cuts as the national grid struggles to provide even a few hours of electricity a day in many areas.
“We have decided to stop using air conditioning, except in our medical units, despite the heatwave,” Mr Abiad said. “We are truly in hell.”
Since the end of the civil war in the 1990s, Lebanon has suffered daily power cuts without the capacity to generate enough electricity. Beirut’s regular three-hour a day rolling outage has deteriorated in recent months amid fuel shortages and after a Turkish company that operated power-barges pulled the plug because of unpaid bills.
The fuel shortages extend to diesel for private generators and even petrol for cars.
“Electricity cuts last more than 21 hours per day. There is no fuel for our generators and even when we do find fuel we have no liquidity to buy it,” Dr Abiad tweeted.
He told The National he is hoping the state can provide 14 or 15 hours of electricity per day to sustain the hospital.
For years, Lebanon has been a medical centre for the Middle East with people from across the region seeking treatment in renowned Beirut clinics.
But, the economic crisis affecting the country has not spared the medical sector with doctors and nurses emigrating abroad as they see the value of their wages plummet and the costs of goods rise.
The Lebanese lira has lost more than 90 per cent of its value in just over a year and the crisis has pushed more than half the population below the poverty line.
It is not just hospitals struggling. Head of state-owned telecoms internet provider Ogero, Imad Kreidieh, told The National earlier this month that unless they can find a solution, sustained power cuts could lead to "disastrous" large-scale internet outages.
The Rafik Hariri University Hospital has become a symbol of excellence for Lebanon during the Covid-19 pandemic – a rarity for a public sector institution, most of which are underfunded.
The hospital has successfully managed the country’s main coronavirus ward despite a sharp rise in cases in January and February and a lack of drugs and equipment.
Dr Abiad has been a leading voice in sharing up to date data on the situation in the country and in issuing public health advice through the pandemic.
Many look to his tweets and media appearances for updates on cases, the vaccination campaign and the struggles of the healthcare sector.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
