A doctor treats a patient at Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui in Beirut. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — The syndicate of private hospitals warned Saturday of a shortage of reagents, a key substance for conducting laboratory tests, forcing many hospitals to stop outpatient tests.
Here's what we know:
• The syndicate issued a statement that hospitals are “facing a severe problem” due to the shortage of laboratory reagents, adding that even when they are available, they are sold in hard to source US dollars.
• Some of the missing reagents are causing serious effects, including for tests on the validity of blood given to patients and for examinations of patients undergoing kidney dialysis or suffering from heart diseases, the statement cautioned.
• The syndicate added that medical supply importers have blamed Banque du Liban for the shortages because the central bank is not supporting the import of laboratory reagents. Some of the importers have asked hospitals to pay in US dollars, which the hospitals are facing difficulty acquiring.
• In its statement, the syndicate of private hospitals called on Health Minister Firass Abiad to intervene to resolve the crisis, “which poses a real danger to the lives of patients.”