A hospital in France temporarily closed its emergency room due to staff shortages until Monday, according to local media.

The Robert-Ballanger Hospital in the Aulnay-sous-Bois suburb of Paris had to make changes to its emergency services due to a lack of personnel, news channel BFMTV reported on Saturday.

However, patients brought by health or firefighting teams will still be admitted to the hospital, while self-referred patients will be refused in April 24-May 2.

Doctors at the Robert-Ballanger Hospital called on their management to hire additional staff without delay.

France has been facing a healthcare crisis since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has reached serious proportions as many healthcare workers have retired, while others switched sectors due to excessive workload.

Current bed capacities and personnel numbers have fallen short of need, particularly in rural areas with a high concentration of elderly residents. (Anadolu Agency)