Libya refugee flow persists

Though Libyan rebels liberated most cities from Moamer Kadhafi's grip, tough living conditions continue to force masses of people to flee.

By Monia Ghanmi for Magharebia in Tunis – 15/09/11

More than 9,000 refugees from Libya cross the Ras Jedir border into Tunisia every day, according to customs and security officials.

Rebel victories in the conflict-ridden country have not helped ease the refugee flow. Due to the war basic supplies are running low, essential services are intermittent and food costs are on the rise.

Most Libyans come to Tunisia for medical treatment, especially after the National Transitional Council (NTC) pledged last month to help Libyan families by bearing treatment expenses.

"Hospitals suffer from shortage of medical crews after all foreign employees left the country," said Abdel Majid Buerriche, who arrived from Tripoli. "Hospitals also suffer from shortage of medical supplies and scarcity of medicines. In addition, the existing medical crews now direct most of their attention to emergencies and ignore the rest of sicknesses that we suffer from."

Tunisian hospitals are overflowing with patients from Libya. The health sector is facing a crisis, Buerriche added, and is no longer capable of meeting the needs of people wounded in war as well as regular patients.

Salim Fkih, a commercial manager of a private clinic in Sfax, confirmed that about 90% of visitors to his clinic these days were Libyan patients. They mostly suffer from injuries from missiles and shrapnel from bombs that were used in the conflict. This is in addition to some other chronic diseases, such as diabetes and renal failure, he added.

To spare Libyan patients the troubles of travel, Tunisia's health ministry on Thursday (September 8th) sent a medical team of 15 doctors and paramedics, along with a supply of medicines and medical devices to the central hospital in the Libyan city of Gharyan. The move aims to help Libyan doctors perform surgeries and treat patients, affected by the war.

Others leave Libya to escape exorbitant food prices and a continued shortage of basic supplies.

"The condition is still bad," Om Radhouane told Magharebia. "Getting some food items is an extremely difficult thing. Unfortunately, this tough condition will need several weeks to return to what it was before the war."

Milk, gas and bread are in short supply and costly, she added. Still, optimism prevails among some citizens.

"Now that we have removed the main obstacle that has so far hindered the development of our country, we have a chance to change our country and put it on the right path," said Khaled Nassar. "In spite of all the difficulties that we’re facing, I’m sure that the Libyan people will succeed in building the new, real Libyan state that we are dreaming of."

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/09/15/feature-01.