After the session, Representative Abdullah said: “The Health Committee hosted His Excellency the Minister of Health, the President of the Hospitals Syndicate, and the two Presidents of Doctors in Beirut and Tripoli, and we discussed the health and hospital situation and how the Ministry of Health will continue to secure hospitalization and perform service to people, and prices change daily and the cost of medicines is in an upward movement, and how we will continue with healthy strategies.
He added: “There was agreement that the basis of all solutions is the political solution that affects the economic and financial situation. There was a discussion of the projects that His Excellency is attending with the funds presented and others, focusing on government agencies and developing them in the future, launching the strengthening of the health care program, and launching a tracking program.” Medications, especially those related to intractable drugs and cancer drugs.
He continued, “Our mission is to secure health coverage for the citizen, and how to maintain this hospital health system and the possibility of obtaining health coverage in light of the emigration of doctors. There has been an extensive discussion with the minister and unions about understanding the suffering of doctors and that it does not affect the level of people and hospitalization is not only for the rich. We are trying to harmonize.” We also try to preserve our medical and nursing staff and take into account people’s capabilities. We discussed all these matters.”
He pointed out, “A new narrative is being dealt with, which is focusing on primary health care and rationalizing our budget to improve performance, and a basic study on how support reaches the patient. We will not accept or allow there to be a lifting of support, and this position we share with His Excellency the Minister.”
For his part, the white minister said: “The issue was the health concern and the concern of the sick. There is the issue of the financial collapse with the fluctuations that occur in the exchange rate, and this affects a sector that imports the majority of medicines and supplies, in addition to diesel fuel and other things that are used in health centers.”
As for the health guarantors, Al-Abyadh said: “What is delaying is the general strike that takes place in state departments, and the strike in banks. The money does not reach the hospitals, which makes the patient stand alone and receive his services only by paying in cash.”
He added: “We appeal to everyone, if there is no solution to this collapse, it will have repercussions, and its beginning in the ongoing political dispute.”
Al-Abyadh stressed “strengthening the health system with several factors, which are part of the Ministry of Health’s strategy.” He said, “We heard a willingness to support, and there are loans that have arrived and others on the way to strengthen the health system,” stressing “the importance of stability in other systems.”
On the issue of medicine, the Minister of Health said: “There is communication with the Syndicate of Pharmacists and Importers of Medicines to secure medicine in pharmacies without resorting to the state. As for hospitals, we are working to speed up obtaining their dues, and dollarization is not a solution.
We discussed how we will share this responsibility. There is a solution that must start with politics and the economy, in order to reflect on the health situation.”