Abou Faour Orders Probe after Woman Denied Hospital Admission Dies

The death of a woman who was denied admission by several hospitals has prompted Health Minister Wael Abou Faour to order an immediate probe into the case.

The health minister “has ordered an instant investigation in the case of Louisette Mansour's death -- inside the ministry and with the hospitals that denied her admission,” the ministry said in a statement.

Abou Faour took his decision after he telephoned Father Badie al-Hajj, who had been following up on the woman's health condition.

The father contacted several hospitals to persuade them to let her in to no avail, the statement said.

Abou Faour has called a Thursday morning meeting with the directors of the hospitals involved.

“The necessary measures will be taken in light of what the probe will find,” the statement said.

“Nothing will compensate for the death of Mansour,” Abou Faour said, stressing his “commitment to securing the right of all citizens to hospitalization while preserving their dignity, without them having to wait for their fate at the doors of hospitals.”

Since he assumed his duties at the ministry, Abou Faour has categorically rejected any hospital's attempt to deny patients admission under the excuse of their financial situations. He has since addressed several warnings to a number of hospitals violating his instructions.

Y.R.