Naharnet

Baabda Meeting Agrees to Continue Subsidization of Medicine

President Michel Aoun on Thursday presided over a meeting in Baabda that discussed the country’s medicine shortage crisis, in which it was decided to continue the subsidization of medicine and medical equipment despite the severe financial crisis.

A statement issued after the meeting said the scheme will be based on the Health Ministry’s priorities.

“An extraordinary approval by the President and the (caretaker) premier will later be issued in order to maintain the continued subsidization of medicine and medical equipment and implants,” the statement added.

“It is unacceptable for pharmacies to run out of medicines, especially those considered essential and necessary for citizens’ health. It is also unacceptable to monopolize, smuggle or store medicine to withhold it from citizens in order to hike the prices in an arbitrary manner,” Aoun said during the meeting.

Stressing the importance of “supporting the pharmaceutical industry in Lebanon,” the President noted that “Lebanese medicine factories enjoy a high level of quality, which enables them to produce medicines that can meet the needs of the Lebanese market and curb the latest crisis.”

The meeting was attended by caretaker PM Hassan Diab, the caretaker ministers of finance and health, and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.

Source: Naharnet


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