One year after the Beirut port explosion that shook the capital, Hôtel-Dieu de France still remembers the night of August 4, when it found itself in the midst of a bloody and devastated Beirut.In commemoration of this horrific tragedy, the hospital organized on August 3, 2021, at 6:07 p.m., a ceremony to pay tribute to the victims, the injured and their families in front of the Emergency Department that has witnessed the tragedy of that night.

The ceremony began with a minute of silence at 6:07 pm, followed by the National Anthem and candle-lighting in front of the Emergency Department, in the presence of Prof. Salim Daccache s.j., Rector of Saint Joseph University of Beirut and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hôtel-Dieu de France, the Board of Directors of Hôtel-Dieu de France, the Board of Directors of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, the families of the injured and the victims, in addition to doctors, nurses and hospital staff.

Prof. Salim Daccache s.j., delivered a speech in which he conveyed all the pain and tragic memories that this date evokes: 

« August 4, the day of a devastated Beirut that witnessed the death and injury of its dearest people. It is true that August 4 is the day of the explosion, the explosion of hatred, carelessness and criminality. However, August 4 brought forth a flame, the flame of giving and offering care to the injured and martyred, the flame of the sacrifices of doctors, nurses, student doctors, administrative employees and every member of our hospitals, namely Hôtel-Dieu de France's staff, who were mobilized and still are mobilized to give their best to save patients. [...] August 4, 2020, brings us every day a flame that does not fade away, the flame of the restoration of sovereignty, the sovereignty over the port of Beirut, over Beirut and over all Lebanon, it brings us the flame of the restoration of justice without which the country cannot rise, without which the State, the so-called Lebanese State, the Lebanese Republic, the Lebanese Homeland and the Lebanese Nation cannot rise again, the flame of justice for those who are no longer among us, those who want to know who had prepared them this heinous crime and this evil attack. [...] ».

At the end of the ceremony, the facade of the hospital was illuminated in red in memory of the blood of the victims.

Thanks to the Dubai International Humanitarian City, the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates for their generous donation of medical supplies to the Hôtel-Dieu de France.

The Hôtel-Dieu de France, the university hospital administered by Saint Joseph University of Beirut, was pleased to welcome on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, H.E. Mrs. Anne Grillo, Ambassador of France to Lebanon, who accepted the invitation to take part in the meeting of the hospital's Board of Directors.

During this meeting, she met with the Rector of the University and the directors of the HDF. The ambassador was interested in listening to the difficulties that the hospital is currently facing in the midst of the medical, economic and social crisis that Lebanon is experiencing. During the meeting, several presentations were given on the medical, financial and economic situation, highlighting the plans that the Hotel-Dieu is developing in order to meet the current challenges and to be able to ensure what is necessary for the continuity of its mission with patients, especially those who no longer have social coverage. Also, a presentation was given on the fundraising initiative undertaken for the hospital and its projects.

At the end of the meeting, Her Excellency the Ambassador expressed her thanks to all and especially to the medical and nursing staff, and shared her opinion on the possibilities of helping the hospital in these difficult moments, on the short and long term.

This is the story of a baby girl born prematurely on May 12 in a peripheral hospital with a birth weight of 1680g. The diagnosis of a double valve stenosis (aortic and pulmonary) was made immediately. The patient was transferred in extreme emergency to the HDF for treatment.

A double balloon aortic and pulmonary valvuloplasty was performed under general anesthesia with an excellent immediate result. Today, this baby is in an excellent health condition.

The high level of multidisciplinary collaboration contributed to the success of this procedure. The occurrence of severe congenital double aortic and pulmonary stenosis in the same patient requiring combined neonatal treatment is extremely rare. The baby's low weight and the effective management at the cardiac catheterization level make this case a unique one without precedent in the world medical literature.