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| Africa North |
| Libya hospitals face collapse if staff flee |
| 2014-08-01 |
| [News24] Libya has warned of a "total collapse" of its health care system as the chaos plaguing the country threatens to send into flight many of the Filipino and Indian staff on whom its hospitals depend. Fighting between rival militias in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... over the past three weeks and bloody festivities between Islamists and army special forces in the eastern city of Benghazi have prompted several countries to evacuate their nationals and diplomatic staff. Now, 3 000 health workers from the Philippines, making up 60% of Libya's hospital staff, could leave - along with workers from India, who account for another 20%. Libyan hospitals, meanwhile, are flooded with a wave of admissions, victims of the fighting which has shaken the capital and Benghazi. Nurse kidnapped, gang raped In Tripoli, at least 102 people have been killed and 452 maimed in the festivities that began on 13 July, the health ministry said on Wednesday. It said 77 people have been killed and 289 maimed in Benghazi's violence. Manila already urged its citizens in Libya to leave on 20 July after a kidnapped Filipino worker was found beheaded. Of the estimated 13 000 Filipinos in Libya, only around 700 heeded the warning and left. The rest refused to abandon their jobs despite the dangers. But Manila said on Thursday it would charter ferries to evacuate its nationals, a day after a Filipina nurse was kidnapped and gang raped in Tripoli. Hundreds of Filipino doctors and nurses in Tripoli's Medical Centre walked out in protest at the savage attack on their colleague, unleashing anarchy in the hospital. Families were forced to transfer sick relatives to private clinics, a hospital official said. "Hospitals could be paralysed" in the event of the mass-departure of Philippine nationals, health ministry front man Ammar Mohammed said, while authorities warned of a possible "total collapse" of the health care system. A medical official said the ministry was trying to persuade the Filipinos to stay. Complicating the situation further are the difficulties faced by Libyan staff as they struggle to keep work hours. Mohammed said Libyan doctors and carers have been struggling to reach their workplace from home because of fighting around the capital and fuel shortages. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 "You get indigenous healthcare. Feel proud as you suffer and die. Praise Allan!" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-08-01 22:05 |