President joins Libyan rebels for treatment at city hospital

Date Published: 12-Dec-2011

By Liam Corcoran and Bernie Ní Fhlatharta

President Michael D Higgins will today join seven Libyan rebels in receiving treatment at the Bon Secours Hospital in Renmore in Galway City.

President Higgins will have surgery on his knee cap, which he broke in a fall during a visit to Trocaire projects in Colombia over a year ago.

Among his fellow patients will be seven rebels wounded in the recent Libyan war, who continue to receive medical attention at the Bon Secours hospital after having arrived in Ireland earlier this month.

Chief Executive of the Bon Secours in Galway, Gerry Burke, told the Connacht Sentinel that the patients were “doing well” and continue to undergo surgery and other care at the hospital. It is understood that most of their injuries require specialist treatment that is of limited availability in Libya.

The men’s injuries are mainly orthopaedic in nature and some may require plastic surgery after being wounded by gunshots and shrapnel.

Their arrival in Ireland came about thanks to the efforts of Galway-based Libyan consultant Dr Amina Gsel, who also acts as the director of the Libyan Health Office in Ireland. The office was set up during the eight month-long conflict in Libya in order to provide an outlet for specialist treatment for some of the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians during the civil war.

“We are very happy to have the men treated here and their arrival at the hospital has gone well,” Mr Burke said. He added that it was not yet clear when the men would be well enough to return to Libya and that some may have to stay on in Galway for out-patient treatment.

Meanwhile, President Michael D HIggins yesterday fulfilled his Presidential obligations ahead of being admitted to the hospital – and he intends being back in Áras an Uachtaráin next Monday.

It is not known how long today’s surgery will take or what is involved but he will be recuperating for a few days in the hospital and at his Galway home on Circular Road.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel