Caretaker Minister of Health Firas Abiad during a press conference on Oct. 18. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT—Caretaker Public Health Minister Firas al-Abiad announced on Friday that “there is no medicine crisis in Lebanon, and there is no need to alarm people” amid the ongoing war and fears of further escalation.
The clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, which started last October, left more than 2,300 people killed in Lebanon and displaced more than 1.2 million residents.
Stock of medicines
According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), Abiad said in a press conference held in the neighborhood of Karantina in northeastern Beirut that the existing stock of medicines for chronic diseases is "sufficient for about four or five months." He added that imports are continuing — while thanking Middle East Airlines for "prioritizing health-related shipments to replace quantities, previously delivered by other airlines."
Recently, many airlines canceled their flights to Beirut due to the security situation.
Regarding the manufacturing of chronic disease medicines in Lebanon, Abiad said that "raw materials available in factories can provide medicines for four months, and there are factories capable of providing medicines for eight months."
In addition, the ministry has "received a large quantity of chronic disease medicines as aid, which are being directed to primary health care centers for free distribution to Internally Displaced People (IDPs)."
"This leads to the formation of a strategic pharmaceutical stockpile in case of a prolongation of the [Israeli] aggression or the closure of the ports," Abiad added.
Cancer patients
Regarding medicines for cancer patients, Abiad said that the ministry "received a six-month supply of medicines from a number of companies and other medicines are in stock for at least two months," adding that the ministry has developed a plan with importers to increase the stock to four months, similar to medicines for chronic diseases.
He said he was surprised by the "circulation of a figure about the presence of 50,000 cancer patients in Lebanon, stressing that “Lebanon has not reached this terrifying figure as the number of cancer and critical disease patients who get their medicine from the ministry does not exceed 10,000 patients.”
Internally Displaced Persons
Abiad also addressed the distribution of medicines to the IDP: "There are currently 233 primary care centers that provide health services to 788 shelters. Over the past two weeks, the ministry distributed to these centers from its warehouses in Karantina 1.6 million bottles of medicine, including 90 different types of acute and chronic medicines, like insulin. And on average, each center received five to six thousand bottles of medicine.”
He added that an additional supply of medicine was distributed through a partnership with the Young Men's Christian Association, bringing the total to 2.1 million boxes.
According to the ministry, the demand for chronic disease medications has remained stable, the demand for acute disease medicines has surged by 40 to 50 percent due to overcrowding and limited public health facilities. Abiad noted that this has led to an increase in skin diseases such as scabies, as well as food poisoning and acute diarrhea, doubling the need for medicines like Panadol and antibiotics.
Cholera
Abiad addressed the Cholera situation, stating that no new cases have been reported aside from the one confirmed earlier this week in Akkar, Lebanon's first case of the disease.
“The Ministry of Public Health is on high alert to respond if cholera spreads,” Abiad emphasized.
He noted that two months ago, the ministry launched a vaccination campaign in high-risk areas following reports of cholera's return to Syria. "Around 360,000 vaccines were administered, and hospitals were instructed to isolate any suspected cases of diarrhea."
The confirmed case, according to Abiad, is "unrelated to shelters for internally displaced persons" and involves a woman from the village of Sammouniyeh in Akkar. She is currently receiving treatment after being isolated.
Abiad added that "epidemiological surveillance teams have conducted comprehensive monitoring of the village, tested the contacts of the confirmed case, and examined local water and sewage sources. Samples from the water used in the area, as well as from displacement camps, have so far returned no positive results."
"Despite this, all teams have been mobilized and everyone is on the ground in order to identify the source of the infection, and the public will be informed to ensure transparency.”
Abiad also announced that consultations have begun with the World Health Organization (WHO) to secure enough vaccines for Lebanon and to implement a vaccination campaign. “Obtaining the vaccine is not easy, as the cholera epidemic is spreading in 30 countries worldwide,” he said, adding that he hopes Lebanon will be among the nations receiving the necessary doses.
A cholera outbreak happened in Lebanon between October 2022 and July 2023, marking the return of the disease after nearly three decades.
"World Bank's Pandemic Fund"
Finally, Abiad said that the World Bank chose Lebanon's request for a grant from the "World Bank's Pandemic Fund to support the epidemiological surveillance program and the central laboratory to strengthen health security in Lebanon."
“More than 190 applications were submitted by other countries to obtain this grant from the World Bank, and Lebanon's application was selected ... The amount of the grant is not yet specified but amounts to several million dollars. The grant will contribute to strengthening our health security."