The hospital was named after two young revolutionary women, named Messaouda (Mériem) (19331958) and Fatma (19351959) Lalia. These Bedj sisters were from an honorable family and originally from Laghouat, Algeria and enlisted in the Algerian resistance (French: maquis) in Orléansville (currently Chlef). The two sisters took part in the war for the liberation of Algeria.