Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 20 May 2014:
A doctor from Tripoli’s Saint James Hospital was killed Monday during the clashes on Airport Road, . . .[restrict]when a stray bullet hit him while he was watching TV in his flat.
Dr Abdallathem Al-Tobgi was a nutrition and diabetes specialist working at both the Saint James Hospital and the Fardos Clinic. Saint James Hospital closed early during the clashes on Sunday and dismissed its staff. It is believed that Tobgi was watching TV in the living room of his fourth floor flat when he was struck by a bullet that entered through the window. The doctor was the only person in the room at the time.
Tobgi studied for his diabetes specialisation in England, returning to Libya before the 2011 revolution. He taught medine in Libya and worked for government hospitals in Tripoli and Al-Khoms before joining the staff at Saint James, a private Maltese hospital.
Saint James Hospital doctor Hashem Nseir told Libya Herald:, “Dr Al-Tobgi was a gentleman and my best friend. He was always smiling, always professional. He was a good communicator and had a good reputation with the patients. We lost one of our best.”
Nseir said that he and Tobgi had returned to Libya, giving up more financially and professionally advantageous jobs outside the country, because they wanted to leave their fingerprint on Libya’s healthcare system and see it improve. Nseir said he hoped that other Libyan doctors would not leave Libya, despite the problems currently plaguing the country.
?Saint James Hospital was reported closed yesterday due to the insecurity in the city. However, Nseir said they were able to remain open both yesterday and today with limited staff due to “our dedication to our patients.” They plan to be fully operational tomorrow. The Janzour Saint James Clinic has been open throughout the latest violence.
Dr Tobgi is survived by a wife and two children. [/restrict]
