Lebanese Health Minister, Jamil Jabak, has just made his decision loud and clear. Cancellation of ministry support contracts will be enforced on any hospital that refuses emergency services to any patient due to financial incapability.
Minister Jabak announced his decision in a televised remark while at the public hospital in Minyeh during his official tour of multiple hospitals in northern Lebanon.
“We have been informed of the [Minyeh] hospital’s condition, and we realized that it needs rehabilitation and many services. I will not allow any hospital to refuse any patients,” Jabak stated.
The newly appointed minister initiated his 15 days in office with that tour of the northern hospitals at receiving numerous complaints from citizens of the region regarding their local health care.
During his tour, Minister Jabak eliminated the financial support ceiling of the hospital of Halba, the capital of Akkar Governorate.“It is not acceptable to have a patient in Akkar who wants to go to the only government hospital in the area, and there is a financial ceiling,” he said and promised to equip the hospital with adequate equipment within six months.
The minister went further announcing that he will work “on opening a special section for cardiology at the hospital in Halba and will allocate 7 billion Lebanese pounds to Akkar.” That is about 465 Million US Dollars. In his words, “Akkar is a priority for our ministry because of the suffering of patients there.”
He stressed that the Akkar region is deprived just like other areas in Lebanon. “We are trying to detect deficiencies in Lebanese hospitals to be able to rehabilitate them,” he declared, reinstating hope in a nation that has been enduring lack of adequate public medical care.
Mr. Jamil Jabak was recently appointed Minister of Health by the Lebanese Presidency. His nomination was announced with that of 29 ministers from most Lebanese political factions, forming now the new cabinet, after nine months of deadlock.
Minister Jabak has initiated his role diving straight into solving one of the most serious problems of the Lebanese citizens: Health Care!
