The director of the government hospital in Baalbeck surrounded by members of the medical staff, during a press conference after an attempted kidnapping of a doctor, Dec. 5, 2021. (Credit: Sarah Abdallah/OLJ)
BEIRUT — Doctors and other hospital employees of the Baalbeck government hospital thwarted an attempted kidnapping of one of their colleagues this afternoon, the NNA reports.
Here’s what we know:
• An unidentified man tried to kidnap Dr. Abdel Wahab Ismail from the hospital grounds after the man’s mother passed away in the COVID-19 department of the hospital.
• Other doctors and hospital workers confronted the would-be kidnapper, surrounded his van, and “worked to free the doctor,” according to the NNA.
• In a press conference, hospital director Dr. Abbas Shukr condemned the attack and demanded the placement of soldiers inside the hospital to protect staff.
• Hospital staff stopped work for an hour beginning at 3:30 p.m. to signal their disapproval of the situation to authorities.
Correction: An earlier version of this post stated that an unidentified man tried to kidnap Dr. Abdel Wahab Ismail from the hospital grounds after the patient’s mother passed away in the COVID-19 department. It was the would-be kidnapper's mother who passed away.