Following the storming of his office and an attempted assault on him last Sunday, Dr. Youssef Fares, the chairman of Al-Zahraa Hospital, submitted his resignation two days ago along with several department heads. The resignation came in the wake of the smuggling of a detainee from the hospital on July 13, and Fares's objection to the involvement of one of the doctors and some hospital staff in the incident. However, Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, who is acting as the Chairman of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, "rejected the resignations from the hospital affiliated with the council and requested a pause to allow for addressing the root causes of the issue," according to a reliable source.
An armed group had stormed Fares's office to threaten him and eject him after he notified President Nabih Berri and security forces about the detainee's escape, which involved individuals associated with the Amal Movement, despite him being under police protection in the hospital due to injuries sustained in a confrontation in his hometown, Machghara. It was rumored that among the assailants was a deputy from Amal who was aided by the relatives of the detained individual and the doctor accused of helping in his escape.
Recent developments have reignited the debate regarding the management of the hospital, which has fallen victim to the power struggles of influential parties within the council and Amal, similar to what occurred at the Islamic University a few months ago. Stakeholders are calling for "the reorganization of the hospital's operations and a return to the purpose for which Imam Musa Sadr established it: to serve the marginalized and poor in the Shiite community, after it has transformed in recent years into a commercial hospital that refuses to admit patients lacking financial means and is particularly focused on cosmetic procedures for wealthy Arab clients who pay in fresh dollars."
