Al-Abyadh stressed “the importance of approving this item, otherwise Lebanon will send a negative message to international companies abroad, which have begun to refrain from sending medicine to Lebanon due to the delay in paying their dues.”
Al-Abyad regretted, in a speech during a lengthy meeting with representatives of associations supporting cancer patients, “for the delay that occurred on the line of the Ministry of Finance – Banque du Liban in implementing the previous decision of the Council of Ministers, which stipulated the transfer of thirty-five million dollars for medicine from special drawing rights, adding that he received from a bank Lebanon promised to implement as soon as the Ministry of Finance completed, which on its part confirmed the completion of the necessary referrals yesterday.
He pointed out that “the monthly amount of drug support, which is set at thirty-five million dollars, is not enough, but it solves eighty percent of the needs, given that the allocation of this amount for cancer drugs is twenty million dollars, while the total need does not exceed about twenty-four million. Therefore, It is important to pass the support decision in the Council of Ministers so that the next battle is to be implemented by the concerned financial authorities.”
Al-Abyadh explained to the representatives of the associations, “The measures taken by the Ministry of Public Health to secure medicine, which remain linked to securing financial funding, stressing that there is absolutely no intention to lift support.”
He stressed “the necessity of consolidating the positive and effective partnership between the ministry and associations in a way that secures the patient’s interest and treatment in the first place and enhances what he needs from the confidence.”