BEIRUT: Health Minister Wael Abu Faour Friday announced the unprecedented closure of a hospital in the north, while another medical facility in the south came under scrutiny by the Labor Ministry.
The Minyeh Hospital in north Lebanon is the first medical facility to be ordered shut since the ministry launched a sweeping public health campaign in November, although its closure is temporary and it could reopen if it addresses its violations.
The campaign has previously targeted Beirut’s slaughterhouse and fish market along with hundreds of restaurants, supermarkets and beauty clinics across the country.
The decision to order the hospital shut came after the ministry revealed that the facility violated health standards, according to a statement released by Abu Faour’s office.
Abu Faour gave the facility two months to carry out the reforms. If the changes are not implemented within that period, the hospital’s license would be revoked, he said.
He also terminated the Health Ministry’s contract with the hospital.
Last week, Abu Faour ended the government’s contract with one of Lebanon’s most prestigious hospitals after it violated its agreement with the ministry.
Abu Faour’s decision came after Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut’s Ashrafieh district refused to admit a patient with a physical disability.
Separately, the Labor Ministry referred the case of a hospital in the southern city of Tyre to the Health Ministry after inspections revealed a set of legal and health violations.
The Labor Ministry sent inspectors to evaluate the facility’s working conditions after receiving several complaints from the staff.
According to a statement, inspectors revealed that although the hospital is licensed, it is not registered with the Labor Ministry. It also does not have records of health certificates and work-related accidents and has employed Palestinian nationals who do not have work permits.
The statement said the hospital lacks adequate safety regulations with regard to the use of chemicals and prescriptions for medication. The facility is also inadequate with regard to fire safety, ventilation, lighting and cooling systems.
It also cited excess moisture in storage rooms for chemical and biological substances and noted the incompatibility of the facility’s water with safety standards.
The Labor Ministry will oversee the correction of hospital violations relating to employment, working conditions, and professional safety, while the Health Ministry will tackle issues relating to public health and medical practice.
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