Hospitals in Lebanon face shutdown risks amid foreign currency shortage
May 26, 2022, 5:42 pm

Hospitals in Lebanon face shutdown risks amid foreign currency shortage

Faculty of Medicine Graduate Medical Education (GME) Graduation Ceremony of Residents and Fellows 2022 - Credit: AUB Twitter account

The Elnashra Lebanese news website reported, Lebanon's Syndicate of Private Hospitals warned on Thursday (May 26) that many Lebanese hospitals are facing the risk of shutting down because of a shortage of foreign currency to buy equipment and medicines.

"Hospitals are unable to secure U.S. dollar funds to buy necessary equipment and materials amid current restrictions on cash withdrawals by banks," Suleiman Haroun, head of the syndicate, said during a sit-in protest staged by hospital representatives near Lebanon's central bank.

Haroun also noted that hospitals have been unable to secure their workers' rights because of a shortage in liquidity.

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He urged the Central Bank of Lebanon to release hospitals' funds in banks to save the health sector from an imminent collapse.

It should be noted that the ongoing unprecedented financial crisis in Lebanon has forced the central bank to place heavy restrictions on U.S. dollar withdrawals, weighing heavily on both businesses and individuals.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”