Name: Beirut's blast leaves hospitals damaged or destroyed as coronavirus numbers soar - ABC News
Brand: abc.net.au
SKU: abc-net-au-234
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Beirut's blast leaves hospitals damaged or destroyed as coronavirus numbers soar - ABC News

preview

ShareAfter a massive blast left large swathes of the city in ruins and more than 6,000 people injured, Beirut's major hospitals and at least half of the city's clinics are no longer functional, the World Health Organization has said, and now a COVID-19 surge is adding to the chaos.More than 170 people were killed in the explosion at Beirut's port on August 4 and ensuing protests have since led to the resignation of the Lebanese government and ongoing violence between protesters and police.In the hours following the blast — as bloodied and dazed residents stumbled through the streets and rescue workers pulled bodies and the wounded from the rubble — many of Beirut's major hospitals were so badly damaged they had to turn victims away.CCTV footage showed staff and visitors running for cover in hospital offices and waiting rooms as windows and doors blew in, and debris from segments of roof and smashed equipment rained down.Some of the injured said they fled to the outskirts of the city and holed up in overcrowded homes to wait out the chaos before seeking medical attention, sometimes many days after the blast.The UN humanitarian office said the deadly explosions destroyed most of Beirut's port, flattened surrounding neighbourhoods and destroyed 120 schools.The World Health Organization (WHO) said at least three hospitals had shut down due to damages, while local sources said four had been forced to close, including one government and three private facilities."Another three hospitals are functioning well below their normal capacity," said WHO's regional emergency director Richard Brennan at a virtual press conference in Cairo, adding that just two of these hospitals counted for a loss of around 500 beds.Following an assessment of 55 clinics and health centres in the Lebanese capital, he said: "We know now that just over 50 per cent are non-functional."In the chaos following the blast, social distancing and face mask practices understandably lost priority, as the few medical facilities left standing struggled with overcrowded wards and waiting rooms.The WHO warned that if coronavirus measures were not adhered to, already surging numbers of COVID-19 cases will continue to rise, putting even more strain on the city's overstretched resources.George Saad, chief operations manager of St George Hospital — one of Beirut's leading medical centres — said the hospital suffered so much damage during the explosions that it had to be closed. "We have 100 per cent damage of infrastructure from outside the hospital, 80 per cent inside the hospital, 40 per cent damage of medical equipment. So we have total loss," Mr Saad said.Hospital officials said rebuilding Saint George could cost as much as $US40 million ($55 million).The devastating explosions also killed 18 people at the hospital, including patients and medical staff.Osanie, a surgical nurse at the hospital, said the horror that followed the explosion has left an indelible impact on her life."People were begging for help and my colleagues were injured. I didn't know who to help," she said."I was traumatised at the same time because I wanted to cry and at the same time, I wanted to help people, so I didn't know what to do. It was like a battlefield." Ms Osanie said one of her colleagues was fatally injured."We were trying to resuscitate her," said Ms Osanie. "We were trying to save her life, but we couldn't. So she passed away. And her face, I can't get it off my mind."Added to the pressure medical care providers face is an increased resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic in Lebanon. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, the total number of COVID-19 infections increased by 334 cases on Friday, sending the overall total past 8,000.Daily tallies have almost doubled since the blast, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally, and 94 deaths had been reported as of Saturday morning.Health Minister Hamad Hassan said a further increase in daily infections could be expected due to the crowds of people who flocked to hospitals in the days following the explosion, but the hospitals are not ready for the surge of patients.Some hospital staff admit they are too overwhelmed and traumatised to focus on distancing or mask-wearing.Hospital officials said nightmares, insomnia, flashbacks and constant fear of another explosion are plaguing the staff, while some had contracted the virus themselves.Gaby Jammal, a writer, history lecturer and ex-fighter from Beirut, said the situation in the city was worse than he saw during 15 years of civil war."What's happening now is, believe me, worse than the war — something I have never seen during my whole life."He said many volunteers were still working on the ground and Iran, Morocco, France, Russia and Turkey had set up five field hospitals to cope with the overflow of patients.But the country was in "a very big chaos", Mr Jammal said, and hospital supplies were low despite incoming aid."It's not only about corona or the explosion," he told the ABC, adding that inflation and political instability had been devastating the city long before the current disasters.A year ago, the US dollar exchange rate was 1,500 to the Lebanese lira, but Mr Jammal said it had reached 8,000 to the dollar, and Lebanese hospitals buy all their supplies from abroad."The government give them money with the rate of 1,500 per dollar and then they have to buy it from abroad with 8,000 lira. So, this is a big problem."Mr Jammal said food prices had also risen by 300 or 400 per cent, while wages had remained the same.Even before the blast, a survey by the International Rescue Committee found that 87 per cent of households interviewed said lack of food was a critical concern for them.The United Nations Development Programme estimated the blast destroyed at least 10,000 enterprises, leaving over 100,000 people unemployed, heightened food insecurity, and around 300,000 people homeless."I can assure you all the shops, the restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, whatever — all destroyed. There is not even a single one without damage," said Mr Jammal, describing the once-popular club and dining area destroyed by the blast."You can say maybe this is the biggest non-nuclear explosion in history."15 Aug 202015 Aug 2020Sat 15 Aug 2020 at 7:40pm, 16 Aug 202016 Aug 2020Sun 16 Aug 2020 at 5:58amMore on:

ShareAfter a massive blast left large swathes of the city in ruins and more than 6,000 people injured, Beirut's major hospitals and at least half of the city's clinics are no longer functional, the World Health Organization has said, and now a COVID-19 surge is adding to the chaos.More than 170 people were killed in the explosion at Beirut's port on August 4 and ensuing protests have since led to the resignation of the Lebanese government and ongoing violence between protesters and police.In the hours following the blast — as bloodied and dazed residents stumbled through the streets and...

public

Tracey Shelton

Official account of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, connecting you to the best content. Follows ABC accounts, lists trusted profiles.

Beirut's blast leaves hospitals damaged or destroyed as coronavirus numbers soar - ABC News

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS