TWO Scots medics have told of the humanitarian catastrophe facing the people of Beirut after flying out to help the stricken city following the massive explosion on August 4.
Surgeon Andy Kent and nurse David Anderson flew to the Lebanese capital within days of the explosion, which killed nearly 180 and injured 6000.
The pair are part of the UK aid-funded UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) that was deployed to Beirut to help the Lebanese in the aftermath of the blast.
Working with charities UK-Med and Humanity Inclusion, the medics will report back to the Department for International Development on what help is needed.
The UK has pledged £20 million to the World Food Programme and £5m to the emergency relief effort in Beirut.
Mr Kent, based at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, revealed how even a career in the army failed to prepare him for the sheer scale of devastation and a health system on the point of collapse.
He said: “I did 17 years in the army, but I don’t think any amount of training could prepare you for that volume of casualties in such a short space of time. The whole system was overwhelmed and in chaos.”
Lebanon was already struggling with a spike in coronavirus cases when the explosion happened.
Mr Kent, a 56-year-old father-of-four, added: “The problem in Lebanon goes a lot deeper than this blast – prior to that, the health system was teetering on the brink.
“Then it experienced a surge in coronavirus cases, so all that is almost the perfect storm. With 6,000 casualties into the system, it’s completely broken.
“Covid-19 was becoming a huge problem before the blast – now we’re anticipating a huge surge.
“The anticipation is these numbers will sky rocket and the implications of that is the medical services will be in dire straits.”
The UK EMT medics have been visiting affected health facilities across Beirut, and meeting Lebanese health workers and clinical staff, to get an in-depth understanding of how the multiple crises are affecting healthcare provision in the country.
They have been listening to their assessment of outstanding needs and gaps to build a comprehensive picture of how the UK can best support.
Many casualties will need long-term rehab after suffering slashed tendons and deep cuts to arms, legs and faces from flying glass.
Mr Anderson, a UK-Med health adviser, last year helped with the international response to cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Mozambique, carried out Ebola preparedness work in Rwanda, led efforts to deal with the measles outbreak in Samoa and also carried out deployments to crisis countries South Sudan and Myanmar.
He believes the task facing humanitarian aid workers in Beirut is an even tougher one than the challenge he faced dealing with the West Africa Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone in 2014-2015.
The 51-year-old, from Montrose, said: “The Ebola crisis is one thing and it wasn’t a very pleasant task, but this is the biggest thing I have been deployed to for support in relation to a mass casualty event. It’s huge. It’s the first time I’ve had to attend something like this.
“You cannot help but feel empathy for the individuals you see walking around who are wounded as well as for the staff in hospitals we speak with to make a full and proper needs assessment.
“We were not there when those patients came through the door – however you can see the aftermath and it’s not a pleasant thing.”
Mr Kent said: “The devastation is horrendous – people were physically thrown by the blast wave against walls and buildings. People were picked up and thrown across their living rooms.”
Yet he said the death toll would have been up to “100 times a higher” had the blast rocked the city before the port and neighbouring offices emptied at the end of the day.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The Lebanese people continue to be in our thoughts at this terrible time. The UK is sending these world-leading medics to use their expertise and to make sure the people of Lebanon get the help they need as quickly as possible.
“This field team comes on top of the UK’s substantial military support and aid package.”
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