The challenges faced by Lebanon are compelling it to adapt to the collapse of both official and private state institutions, as well as its service, education, and healthcare sectors, following the downfall of its banking sector. Consequently, Lebanon is transforming from the "Hospital of the East" into a "hell," forcing patients and their families to stand before hospital doors with the thought: "What goes in is lost, what comes out is a birth!"
There is a consensus that the repercussions of the financial collapse have affected all sectors. Many of the best and most qualified doctors, unable to continue in this painful reality, have emigrated in search of a better future abroad, which is their right. However, the fact that some hospitals in Lebanon have become mere "shops" that manipulate patients' health, even worsening the danger to their lives due to the absence and negligence of the required medical staff, compels officials—if they exist—to take action and put an end to this negligence that has spared no citizen's health, as was the case with the deceased patient, Mrs. Simaan, at Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Qbayyat.
On November 10, Mrs. Simaan, 76 years old, experienced abdominal pain that necessitated her transfer to Our Lady of Peace Hospital, just minutes from her home in Qbayyat - Akkar. After the nurses conducted initial examinations, it became apparent that there was no doctor present in the hospital's emergency room, prompting a call to the medical director, A.D., a urology specialist. Following his request for some tests, an ASP image showed that the patient was suffering from peritonitis, but he did not address the dangers of this illness. He merely instructed her family to take her home, administer a "shot," and provide her with pain relievers.
This was done, leading to the deterioration of the patient's condition at 5 PM on the same day, necessitating her return to the hospital. After contacting doctor A.D. again, he directed one of the nurses to reach out to doctor N.S., a gastroenterology specialist, to explore the possibility of admitting her and treating her. After receiving the mentioned doctor's approval, who did not attend to examine the patient, he merely requested that she be given a shot around 8 PM. After more than an hour, when nurses contacted him again due to the deterioration of the patient's health, he repeated his request for another injection to be given the following morning.
When the nurses contacted a cardiologist, A.S., he instructed them to provide her with a painkiller around 9:30 PM before getting back in touch with doctor N.S. to inform him of the patient’s declining health. He instructed the nurses to give her "water and salt" and then asked them to contact a resuscitation doctor without taking the trouble to examine her despite her critical condition.
When they finally reached the resuscitation doctor, J.E., around midnight, she advised the nurses to contact the cardiologist, who asked for a specific diagnosis and to get back to him. The nurses were shocked to discover that his phone was out of service... and Mrs. Simaan passed away early on November 11, less than 20 hours after arriving at the hospital. Despite her critical condition, none of the mentioned doctors made the effort to examine her or provide the necessary treatment.
If manipulating patients' health and adapting to God's will (death) has become the norm in this country, then receiving the required healthcare is one of the most basic human rights, not a luxury. Moreover, the ethics and the role of doctors, as well as their mission, compel them to ensure the best available treatments for patients, accurately diagnose treatment, cooperate with qualified individuals, and diligently follow through on treatment plans.
This, however, did not happen with the victim Simaan, nor with many other patients due to the shifting responsibilities among hospitals, the Ministry of Health, and the "decaying" state! Nevertheless, Mrs. Simaan's family decided to rise against this reality, seeking legal avenues to hold accountable those negligent in protecting patients' lives.
According to the criminal complaint filed by lawyer Ziad Isber, and following preliminary investigations by law enforcement with those involved, a report from forensic doctors N.Y. and H.A. stated that "the deceased patient Mrs. Simaan did not receive complete medical care, as the assessment of her health condition by the doctors was limited to phone explanations provided by the nurses, and she was not clinically examined by the doctors, specifically from 5:30 PM on 11/10/2022 when she was admitted for the second time to the ER, nor when her condition worsened that night and she was transferred to the intensive care unit." The forensic doctors' report also indicated the absence of any mention of the name of the emergency physician in the medical file or at the hospital.
In light of this reality and the apparent shortcomings in the medical care provided to the deceased patient, will the Ministry of Health, the Medical Association, and the judiciary take action against those responsible? Or will compassion for victims remain the only comfort for citizens as some hospitals in remote areas turn into "slaughterhouses" that show negligence towards patients' lives?
