Saint George Hospital resumes
light surgery, doctor visits

Financial support pledged

for $40 million damage

Labs, including X-ray and MRI scanning, are resuming at Saint George Hospital (‘Roum’ or Greek Orthodox Hospital), two weeks after the facility was rocked and rendered non-operational by the port’s explosion.

Staring next Monday, the hospital will open its external clinics and emergency room, and begin carrying out minimal surgeries. Most equipment was spared. Other operations will gradually resume.

The hospital has received pledges of financial support. According to preliminary assessment, direct infrastructure damages are estimated at $40 million. A 60-bed field hospital provided by the state of Qatar is suitable for small operations and for simple medical services, said Dr. Eid Azar, Chief of Staff.

No layoffs have been made. “The destruction is huge and so rebuilding will take time. We will reopen sections and floors step by step and the 300-bed hospital is expected to be fully operational six months from now,” Azar said.