Sana'a: Lebanon Hospital for Cardiac Surgery and Diseases in Sana'a has announced the launch of a permanent monthly charity program aimed at providing discounted and free open-heart surgeries to alleviate medical expenses for patients. The initiative was inaugurated during a ceremony held on Monday, highlighting the hospital's commitment to reducing the cost of medical services.
According to Yemen News Agency, the program will offer one free open-heart surgery each month, along with significant discounts on additional procedures. Specifically, three surgeries will be discounted by 75%, five by 50%, and ten by 25%, excluding the cost of valves. This initiative is part of the hospital's efforts to make healthcare more accessible to those in need.
During the launch event, Minister of Health and Environment Dr. Ali Shayban commended the hospital's leadership for this humanitarian effort, emphasizing the need for hospitals to provide quality services at lower prices to ease patient suffering. He criticized unethical practices in some hospitals and reiterated that medicine should be viewed as a humanitarian service rather than a business. Dr. Shayban also expressed the government's dedication to eliminating arbitrary pricing in healthcare.
Sana'a Mayor Dr. Hamoud Abbad praised the hospital's initiative as a model for others to follow, underlining the financial challenges faced by patients, especially concerning stent costs. He called for collaboration with the private sector and philanthropists to support vulnerable patients, assuring municipal support for the charity project.
Zakat Authority Chairman Shamsan Abu Nashtan also lauded the program, urging hospitals to focus on saving lives. He discussed the ongoing partnership between the Zakat Authority and the Health Ministry in various health projects, including the "Life Stent" initiative, which has benefited many.
Lebanon Hospital Director Dr. Issam Al-Azir explained that the self-funded charity program will be executed transparently through a monthly public lottery to select patients for surgeries. The hospital aims to pass benefits directly to patients by eliminating referral commissions and arbitrary pricing, ensuring the use of quality materials such as valves and stents.
The initiative is a significant step towards improving healthcare accessibility and affordability, embodying a spirit of social solidarity and collective responsibility in the healthcare sector.