BEIRUT: Health Minister Wael Abu Faour Monday froze his ministry’s contract with Tripoli’s Albert Haykal Hospital after it allegedly denied emergency care to a bleeding pregnant woman.
Abu Faour called on the Syndicate of Doctors to interrogate H. Daher, the doctor who was responsible of the hostpital’s emergency department when the incident occurred. Daher was also banned from treating patients at the expense of the Health Ministry.
According to the National News Agency, a Rima Mohammad Khaled was four months pregnant and bleeding when she arrived at the Albert Haykal Hospital in the northern city late Saturday night. Staff there reportedly refused to admit her
Dr. A. Hablas, and G. Shaheen, a midwife, were called for interrogation over the case.
A hospital employee had told The Daily Star that the woman was not admitted initially because “there was nothing wrong with her,” because it was a "simple case of external bleeding."
However, the Ministry’s investigations and the hospital said that Khaled’s physical situation was “critical.”
Abu Faour referred the case to the State Prosecutor’s office, and warned against similar actions by any hospital, saying that they would lead to “legal action" and the cancellation of the Ministry's contract with the institution.