The emergency department at André Renard Hospital in Liège in Herstal will be closed until Monday. The council announced this. The reason is lack and fatigue on the part of the staff.
“For two years now, the entire hospital staff is doing the utmost in the fight against COVID-19,” the hospital said. “We have exhausted all the resources that will enable us to perform our duties as a general hospital and have reached the maximum human potential.”
Therefore, the emergency room has been closed since 2 p.m. and will not reopen until Monday at 8 a.m. In this way, the hospital wants to prevent an influx of new patients. During the same period, only basic interventions are carried out.
“We realize that this is not going to solve anything in the long term,” he continues. “Without the nursing profession promotion, the situation will worsen in the coming months, so structural measures are necessary.”
Health Minister Frank Vandenbroek’s cabinet regretted the situation, but it reacted sharply. When a hospital refuses to accept a patient sent on 112, the Federal Public Health Service Health Inspector will be able to prepare a report on violations of the 1964 Emergency Medicine and Emergency Care Act and turn that over to the attorney general and the hospital.”
