After the catastrophic Beirut explosion: hospitals are in agony

Report by Elia Nasrallah

At 6:07 pm Beirut time, “the ground shook beneath our feet in the emergency room, and after a few seconds, we heard the sound of an explosion, the ceiling collapsed, pieces of shattered glass were flying from all sides, and the sound of the siren became stuck in our ears”. Who knew that the 4th of August 2020 will be a catastrophic day which will change the Lebanese people’s course of life and turn the capital of Light into a devastated city? “After few moments, people began arriving in great numbers, drenched in blood and crying out in pain!” This is to describe the state of total panic in one of Beirut’s hospitals at the time of the terrible explosion that occurred on August 4. This is how Rana, one of the nurses at the Hotel-Dieu De France University Hospital, described the scenes of terror that she and her colleagues witnessed. Lebanese people whether in their homes, in their workplaces, or lost in the sad streets of Beirut, have all lived this awful experience ... These moments will forever remain engraved in the memory of every Lebanese.

The Beirut port explosion, that disaster which completely destroyed the Lebanese capital, claimed 200 lives and left 6,500 wounded. Just like an earthquake, it resulted in massive destruction of public and private properties; The health sector in Lebanon, especially hospitals, were not at all spared by this monster. Therefore, through the Middle East Council of Churches, Mr. Sleiman Haroun, President of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals in Lebanon, is calling concerned parties and people of good will from all around the world to save this sector which lacks sufficient financial resources to restore life in Beirut’s hospitals.

A number of them were partially damaged, and some were completely destroyed, such as the Saint George Hospital University Medical Center (Roum Hospital), Al-Geitaoui, and the Rosary hospital, whose external yards were transformed into operation rooms. As for the Hotel-Dieu De France University Hospital located in the Achrafieh area,  it was able to receive the wounded despite the damage caused in some operation rooms, laboratories and other parts, but it reached its maximum capacity because it became the only hospital capable of helping and rescuing the injured in Beirut.

The first moments of terror

It all began when the explosion occurred, resulting in extremely painful stories. Rana Njeim, a nurse in the emergency department at the Hotel-Dieu University Hospital, shared her story with the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches.

Rana Njeim, a nurse in the emergency department at the Hotel-Dieu University Hospital

While she was treating a patient in the emergency room, she and the medical staff present in the department felt a strong shake, then heard the sound of an explosion that caused the ceiling to fall and shattered the glass, which prompted them to hide under the tables as they feared another jolt or a second explosion. However, "we did not have time to understand what happened as a huge number of bloodstained patients arrived in a split second", said Rana. Based on her description, the medical staff were drowning in a destroyed hall, full of dust and debris. Nobody had no idea what had happened, yet “we rushed to rescue the injured, who were in pain, whether old or young, until the early morning hours”, added Rana.

Rana indicated that the hospital immediately launched an emergency response plan and began implementing it. However, she noted that the most difficult thing faced in the initial phase was the fact that communication lines were cut off, and thus, the staff present in the hospital could not communicate with other medical personnel to ask for support, until about an hour later, when doctors and nurses rushed to support their colleagues.

In a troubled state, Rana described in an emotional way the condition of the injured, those with severe and dangerous injuries, and those with minor wounds; mentioning that all of them were laying on the hospital floor that was full of blood due to the lack of sufficient beds. In fact, the emergency room was filled with hundreds of wounded, and yet, patients continued to arrive.

The medical staff and the injured in the hospital were drowning in the sound of continuous screaming and crying and have witnessed painful scenes. What really broke the heart of the young nurse was seeing fragile-hearted children forced to witness cruel scenes of wounded and civilians who lost their lives in front of their eyes. Njeim also expressed her pride in the Lebanese who showed solidarity with each other, especially when some were asked to wait for their turn or to leave and return on the second day, in order for critical cases to be treated first.

6 nurses went through a difficult time following the explosion before the backup medical staff arrived. They could not make sure their families were okay in the first hours. The team needed psychological support to face the trauma. In fact, Rana and her colleagues undertook group therapy sessions, with the help of French specialists and volunteers, and recounted what happened to each of them. She also expressed their regret for the victims who lost their lives. Rana thanked all the psychotherapists who supported the medical team, as well as the hospital’s administration that reinforced them during these horrible times; The way the administrative body in charge performed under such pressure to control the situation, helped the staff immensely. They were able to gain a major experience, which can help with similar future disasters. She added that through cooperation and the spirit of friendship between the staff, they were able to fulfill their duty to the fullest.

On another note, and with the increase in Lebanese emigration, Rana expressed that making this decision was difficult for her, and that she had never thought about this option despite the difficult circumstances the country is going through. However, she indicated that the economic crisis has negatively affected the health sector, as the Lebanese Order of Nurses is taking the necessary measures to claim the rights of the medical staff that are making tireless efforts.

Hospitals in Beirut are going through a financial and human crisis

In an interview with Mr. Sleiman Haroun, President of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals in Lebanon, he revealed to the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches that all departments of Beirut’s hospitals need to be rebuilt, rehabilitated and equipped. As for the hospitals of Baabda and the North Metn, they continued to receive the injured and patients almost normally, because the damage caused by the explosion in their sections was only partial and the losses were not as heavy as in Beirut hospitals. Therefore, the staff were able to restore the broken windows, wood, and equipment without closing their doors. According to Mr. Haroun, the total initial cost of damages in Beirut hospitals amounted to between 80 and 100 million dollars, noting that the work will return to normal after the rehabilitation process, i.e. within 5 or 6 months, if required capabilities are available.

Mr. Sleiman Haroun, President of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals in Lebanon

Moreover, some hospitals have gradually returned to life, but the damage remains enormous. For example, the Geitaoui Hospital in Beirut was able, through the aid it received, to re-open the dialysis unit and some of its floors, while securing 40 beds to receive patients and perform surgical operations. The Saint George University Hospital was also able to rehabilitate some sections and damaged equipment to continue its humanitarian service and mission. Despite the restoration work undertaken, the losses are still heavy and the need for international support remains dire. Thus, Mr. Haroun explained that the aid received by the health sector includes medical supplies and tools that had been depleted during the relief operation. He stated that hospitals need additional funding in order to be able to carry out the rehabilitation process and receive patients as soon as possible, noting that the role of the Private Hospitals Syndicate at this difficult time is to coordinate the distribution of aid with the Ministry of Health and the Army Command.

As for the emigration of medical staff, Mr. Haroun stated that he understands the decision of health sector workers to leave the country in search of a job opportunity that provides them with a decent life, especially due to poor work conditions and deplorable salaries. This negatively affects health centers, which already lack human resources. Moreover, the percentage of material losses incurred by hospitals increased with the deterioration of the exchange rate of the Lebanese Pound against the dollar. Therefore, Mr. Haroun, addressed all concerned officials and urged them to act responsibly in order to save Lebanon from collapse under the weight of the crises it is going through. At the end, he stressed the need to adhere to preventive measures in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, because hospitals remain until now and especially after the Beirut explosion, not fully equipped to deal with this virus.

The explosion of the 4th of August 2020 is an earthquake that shook Lebanon and the whole world. This disaster struck Beirut, that is already submerged in a sea of ​​crises which is suffocating the country. The destruction has not left any sector untouched. More than forty days after the tragedy, hospitals are still not fully prepared to receive patients. Donation campaigns started locally and internationally to revive the health sector which undertook a great hit, as did many other sectors. But Beirut is not alone: it will rise high and rebecome the capital of joy and hope ...

Communication and Public Relations Department