Health Minister: Pharmacies Were Among the Sectors That Carried the Heaviest Burdens

The Pharmacists' Union and drug importers, represented by union presidents Abdul Rahman Muraqabawi and Joseph Greib, signed a cooperation protocol under the patronage of Minister of Public Health Rakan Nassar al-Din, aiming to strengthen relations among all sector stakeholders and improve working conditions for pharmacists, particularly regarding financial facilitations and return mechanisms, contributing to alleviating burdens on pharmacies and enhancing the pharmaceutical work environment.

Nassar al-Din emphasized during his attendance at the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Public Health that “pharmacies were among the sectors that bore the heaviest burdens in recent times. Despite the wave of inflation affecting various goods, Lebanon managed to stabilize medicine prices, marking an achievement for citizens, the Ministry of Public Health, unions, pharmacists, importers, manufacturers, and all those involved in the pharmaceutical sector.”

He stressed that “the ministry is working to strike a balance between two fundamental objectives: first, avoiding additional financial burdens on citizens regarding medicine prices, and second, ensuring favorable economic conditions for pharmacists to guarantee a decent and respected income that allows pharmacies to continue operating.”

Nassar al-Din noted that “the ministry has developed a realistic and reasonable framework for calculating pharmacist fees, which will be further discussed in the coming phase to reach a joint solution in coordination with relevant ministries and institutions,” urging a “responsible approach to this issue.”

Meanwhile, President of the Pharmacists' Union Abdul Rahman Muraqabawi expressed appreciation for the continuous efforts made by Minister Dr. Rakan Nassar al-Din to advance the pharmacist fee file toward legal implementation, stating that “this step represents a crucial milestone in improving professional and living conditions for pharmacists amid difficult economic circumstances and increasing pressures facing the sector.”