Major Beirut medical centre lays off hundreds as crisis bites

Major Beirut medical centre lays off hundreds as crisis bites

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Zawqan Abdelkhalek, a nurse at the American University of Beirut's (AUB) medical centre since 2012, was laid off on Friday along with hundreds of colleagues as even hospitals buckle under the weight of Lebanon's economic collapse.

"I have a baby daughter, I need to get her food and water and pay for her vaccines,“ the 29-year-old said. A currency crash means his pension in Lebanese pounds is now worth just around $500, he said.

He blamed the ruling elite for daily power cuts, skyrocketing prices and pushing the country to the brink.

"You can't do anything anymore “¦ who's hiring today? This is where they got us, and now they tell you 'go plant crops and buy candles, you'll be fine', while we just move backwards,“ he said.

The AUB, one of the country's oldest universities and a regional medical hub, did not respond to requests for comment.

Local media and employees said the institution laid off more than 500 workers, mainly in administrative and nursing departments.

Its president, Fadlo Khuri, had said there would be staff cuts as the financial meltdown and the coronavirus pandemic hit revenues. He told Reuters in May the private institution faced its biggest threat since its foundation