On November 11, the people of Kasserine woke up to an unfamiliar scene. Several security cars surrounded Kasserine Regional Hospital, a special squad searched inside and cars trying to reach the hospital first underwent heavy inspections, after authorities received information about explosives planted in the hospital and threats to detonate them.
The hospital, which is located on the outskirts of the city, is not far from al-Chaambi Mountains, a hub for terrorists that has seen several clashes between armed extremists and Tunisian security.
On November 11, the people of Kasserine woke up to an unfamiliar scene. Several security cars surrounded Kasserine Regional Hospital, a special squad searched inside and cars trying to reach the hospital first underwent heavy inspections, after authorities received information about explosives planted in the hospital and threats to detonate them.
The hospital, which is located on the outskirts of the city, is not far from al-Chaambi Mountains, a hub for terrorists that has seen several clashes between armed extremists and Tunisian security.
Tough days during the revolution
During the revolution, this public health unit received hundreds of dead and wounded people, especially during the period from the end of December 2010 and until January 2011, with victims who had been the targets of snipers deployed in Kasserine city and the Tala and Haydara areas.
Medical employees were overwhelmed by the exploded skulls, burnt bodies and children suffocating from tear gas inhalation. Patients were often referred to bigger hospitals. The hospital often relied on volunteers because of overworked doctors and nurses, some of whom were obliged to stay at the hospital for many weeks, without any rest.
Two years later, the hospital is just as chaotic. The country has witnessed the formation of three governments but the Tunisian health ministry has still not addressed the lack of proper medical equipment and the shortage in specialized doctors and medicines.
And despite the vast acres of government land surrounding the hospital building, overcrowding is still the hallmark of Kasserine Regional Hospital.
Many patients are cooped up in small rooms— barely large enough for two beds— with up to six beds and when the rooms can’t accommodate any more, patients are kept in the reception area.
Overcrowding also occurs because the hospital receives Algerian patients and also covers the needs of approximately 600,000 inhabitants in this area as well as parts of the neighboring provinces such as Gafsa, Sidi Bouzid and El Kaf.
The hospital is equipped with only five operating rooms, only three of which are working. Even doctors have to wait, regardless of the patient’s condition.
This health facility suffers from an acute shortage of doctors. For example, there are only four doctors for every 600,000 people in the surgery section and only two doctors for every 600,000 people in the eyes section. As for the heart diseases section, the most sensitive one, there is only one doctor and the same applies for the dermatology, pharmaceuticals, respiratory diseases and allergies and the rheumatism and joint diseases. In areas west of Tunisia, there are 16 doctors for every 100,000 people.
Disease and terrorism
On July 29, after sunset, the hospital received the corpses of nine Tunisian soldiers who had been ambushed by terrorists who had targeted a car carrying Tunisian army and security members who were on an exploratory anti-terrorist mission in the al-Chaambi Mountains.
Even medical staff has been targeted by terrorists in the area, causing medical staff to leave the area despite the good financial privileges given by the health ministry to specialized doctors who work in the inland regions.
A reputation of terrorism
Terrorists, who have been hiding in the mountains for months, have been able to isolate this province and reduce any investment or development efforts.
Today, nobody speaks about industries, factories and foreign investments in this area of the country because the name of Kasserine has become associated with terrorism, shelling in the al-Chaambi Mountains and a crippling shortage of capacities and medicine.
