Siemens has donated critically-needed medical equipment to Libya and completed a fast-track programme to restore full capacity at Misrata power plant.

This underlines the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Libyan people and the country’s reconstruction, a statement from Siemens said.

“We believe in being a good corporate partner and a responsible corporate citizen. We give precedence to projects in which we can contribute knowledge and bring our solutions competency to bear, and understand that communities need swift and decisive aid in situations of acute need,” said Erich Kaeser, CEO, Siemens Middle East, who worked for the company in Libya for four years.

The donation to Al Jala Hospital in Benghazi comprises a SireMobil compact intraoperative imaging unit and the ACUSON X300 Ultrasound System that will provide immediate medical assistance to one of Libya’s main trauma centers and improve the quality of care and allow for the treatment of a larger number of patients.

A handover ceremony of the systems was held at the hospital in the presence of Libya’s deputy Minister of Health, Dr Omran Turbi, general manager of Al Jala Hospital, Dr Mohammad Belead, and a Siemens delegation led by Waclaw Lukowicz, CEO, Siemens healthcare sector, Middle East. 

The medical donation comes on the heels of another recent Siemens delegation visit to Libya marking the completion of a fast-track programme to restore full power generation capacity at the Misrata power plant and repair the 400-kV Misrata substation to ensure uninterrupted electricity supplies to large parts of the population in the northwestern Libyan city.

Dr Mohammad Belead, general manager, Al Jala Hospital, said: “We see more than 400 patients a day, out of which 300 are emergency and trauma cases. With these medical imaging systems available to our clinicians, we are now better equipped to deal with the large number of patients which require immediate medical attention. The equipment will aid quicker and safer diagnoses especially in the face of critical situations, which in turn greatly improves the quality of our care.”

“We are committed to supporting the reconstruction of Libya’s infrastructure and as such dedicated all the necessary resources to returning the Misrata power plant to full capacity,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO, Siemens Energy, Middle East.

Siemens has been active in Libya, where its industry, energy and healthcare sectors hold leading positions, since 1957. The company established its first representative office in the country in 1972 and has its main office in Tripoli, the nation’s capital.

Since 2006, Siemens Libya has contributed to the education and development of young Libyans by supporting local universities and institutes with equipment and training.