Political violence strains Lebanese healthcare system

Nazih Gharios, director of the Mount Lebanon Hospital, where more than a dozen of the casualties were taken, told IRIN such attacks put a severe strain on his hospital's resources.

"We are very capable and ready for emergencies. The problem we face is when in 15 minutes we have 15-20 injured people," he said.

Three patients were severely wounded, requiring emergency surgery for shrapnel in the abdomen; a head injury; and two broken legs.

Lebanon's healthcare system is partly privatized, meaning citizens are required to have private health insurance. For the many who cannot afford such insurance, the state is meant to cover their expenses, but rarely pays for expensive operations costing thousands of dollars.

In the case of attacks such as the one on January 25 citizens in need of medical attention are covered under a fund held by the Health Ministry.

But, said Gharios, the state rarely pays back hospitals like his the full amount they are owed for providing treatment.

"The government only pays up around 30 percent of the time," he said.