Médecins Sans Frontières to expand medical response in western Libya

Qasr Ahmed hospital in Misrata. © Eymeric Laurent-Gascoin / MSF

Tripoli, 22nd August 2011. Médecins Sans Frontières is preparing to expand its medical response in western Libya to meet urgent humanitarian needs.

Due to an increase in wounded admissions to the Médecins Sans Frontières supported hospital in nearby Yefren, Médecins Sans Frontières has sent medical teams to assess the frontline area south of Zawiyah. Today, Médecins Sans Frontières has sent another team inside Zawiyah town to support the general hospital which has also seen an influx of newly wounded and to assess conditions in the town.

Health structures in the area have been overwhelmed with high numbers of surgical cases and health personnel are completely exhausted,’ says Mike Bates, Médecins Sans Frontières head of mission in Libya. ‘We have sent a surgical team to support them and a medical team will also help them organise patient triage, the emergency room as well as post-operative care.’

In the area of Tripoli, several medical facilities report serious shortages of materials and staff, according to Médecins Sans Frontières’ emergency coordinator, Jonathan Whittal, who has been present in the Libyan capital city since the beginning of August.

‘Some hospitals have run out of life-saving medication and equipment. There is little electricity and insufficient fuel to run ambulances and some crucial equipment,’ says Whittal. ‘The current fighting in the city will put strained medical facilities under even more pressure.’

Médecins Sans Frontières is preparing to send more staff and lifesaving medical supplies from bases in Tunisia and Malta to support hospitals in Tripoli - as soon as the security situation will allow.

At the same time, Médecins Sans Frontières continues its work in several locations across Libya. In Misrata, Médecins Sans Frontières teams continue supporting medical structures since April with a focus on trauma care and gynaecology-obstetrics. They are also running a mental health programme in addition to providing health care inside Misrata’s prisons. In Benghazi, Médecins Sans Frontières is providing psychological support to medical staff and patients. In Zlitan, where fierce fighting occurred at the end of last week, wounded patients have been referred to Misrata hospitals. And Médecins Sans Frontières has been assessing medical needs. Médecins Sans Frontières is also supporting hospitals in Yefren with a focus on surgery and post-operative care and is offering psychological support to the population of Zintan.

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international medical humanitarian organisation that has been working in Libya since February 25th 2011. To ensure the independence of its medical work, Médecins Sans Frontières relies solely on private financial donations to fund its activities in Libya and does not accept funding from any government, donor agency, nor from any military or politically affiliated group. Today, the Médecins Sans Frontières team in Libya is made up of 44 Libyan staff and 30 international staff.

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