Stock of emergency medical supplies, Corona isolates 111 villages

The Union of Importers of Medical Equipment and Supplies decided to go ahead with its decision to stop delivering its goods except in critical cases, due to the meager stock, as announced yesterday by the president of the Union, Salma Assi, at a press conference in which he warned against the cancellation of subsidies for the importation of medical supplies because “the world will die There are no hospitals in their homes.” The last sentence was previously repeated by the head of the Union of Private Hospitals, Suleiman Haroun, during the last two days, after that the decision to raise the price of the “hospital dollar” would provoke a generalized mobilization in countries where their health system is declining.

The union, which raised its voice in protest against the Central Bank’s support for only 30% of the importation of the needs of the health sector (the value of support for medical supplies is $ 240 million annually and only $ 30 have been opened million in credits), said he will not back down on his decision until the families are “removed.” Of transfers, prevention of corporate bankruptcies and ensure that the health sector is not harmed, to preserve citizens and their right to hospitalization.
The Union of Importers of Medical Supplies is known to have been involved in a “war” of negotiations with the Banque du Liban for almost nine months, due to the latter’s delay in approving transactions and “embarrassing” them with equipment that may be classified as a necessary medical requirement or not (the Banque du Liban previously considered that the gas used for “anesthetic” is industrial gas, for example). Consequently, this step occurs “after companies have had enough” and “when we repeatedly try to establish an implementation mechanism with all stakeholders.”
What is mentioned in the preliminary statement of the conference issued by the union the day before yesterday is striking, regarding the union’s indication that the Ministry of Health did not respond to its request for medical supplies that were received as aid from friendly countries, estimated at 250 tons, which allows us to determine the items and quantities they need. »To hospitals that are not available in the same or within the stock of companies. These data exacerbate the health crisis due to its consequences due to the crazy increase in the prices of supplies on the one hand, and the increase in hospitalization bills on the other (medical supplies constitute around 40% of the hospital bill).
This reality comes at a time when the Corona epidemic is still “expanding” in the regions, with the Ministry of Health registering, last night, 1,291 new infections (1,284 residents and seven expatriates), 16 of them in the health sector (the total number of injured among these increased to 1057 people). In addition to announcing 12 new deaths, bringing the total number of victims of the virus in Lebanon to 386 people.
Faced with the epidemiological crisis of reality, the Interior Minister of the interim government, Mohamed Fahmy, yesterday issued the decision to close 111 Lebanese towns in various districts “due to the increase in the number of wounded and exceeding the permissible rates with respect to the number of residents” , from tomorrow Sunday until Monday morning. The reality is the 12th. This is “with the objective that the Ministry of Health team can perform the necessary laboratory tests and control the injuries.”

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