Health Minister: It's Time to Provide Support... 'A Meal That Sustains the Struggling'

Health Minister Rakan Nassar al-Din led a field visit with a team from the ministry to the Lady of the Disabled and Chronic Diseases Hospital in Antelias and the Sisters of the Cross Hospital for Mental and Psychological Disorders in Jlebb.

At the Lady’s Hospital, he was welcomed by the hospital’s mother superior, Sister Arzeh Al-Jamil, who expressed gratitude for his visit, calling it "the first visit by a Health Minister to the hospital in nearly half a century." She was joined by medical and nursing staff, administrative personnel, and some patients.

In turn, Minister Nassar al-Din thanked the hospital administrators for their care of the disabled and those with chronic illnesses despite limited financial resources, noting that "the hospital has provided necessary services within its capabilities without neglect, even under the most difficult circumstances." He praised the work of the nuns, medical teams, nurses, and administrative staff, stating: "It is time we provide support at least, 'a meal that sustains the struggling,' so that we may together allow these beloved faces to live with dignity. The dignity of the human being in Lebanon is the highest value—wherever they are in Lebanon, in the north, south, Beqaa, Beirut, Antelias, or any region in Mount Lebanon. And through your work, you preserve the dignity of Lebanese people. Without you, perhaps these people—our families, our parents, our brothers—would be on the streets."

He added: "May God protect you, as words fall short of doing justice to your rights and your efforts. Even money cannot compensate you, and the cost remains greater than what is required. This is still insufficient, but we are climbing the ladder, step by step. If God wills, we will take more steps together."

At the Sisters of the Cross Hospital, Minister Nassar al-Din was greeted by Mother Superior Sister Marie Mkhallouf and a gathering of nuns, medical and nursing staff, employees, and patients.

The minister said: "On my way here, conducting calls and managing ministry affairs—chaotic and overwhelming, burdened with worries and immense pressure—I found energy and hope upon arriving at this place, drawn from these loving faces full of life and hope. Faces we are proud of: our mothers, all workers and staff—doctors, nurses, administrators, everyone. We bow before your effort, sacrifice, and dedication to these beautiful, kind souls. You are the blessing. May God protect you."

He added: "Today we understand your struggles. Hearing about them is not the same as seeing them. When a person comes here and witnesses the level of service and care given to individuals, they realize how much their responsibilities multiply and how great the expectations are. While our capacities at the Ministry of Health and the Lebanese state may be limited, there are priorities—and I say this clearly now: you are our priority."

He continued: "We came from the ministry, the minister and a full team, to complete what our mothers have revealed as missing needs. We will increase coverage, raise ceilings as agreed, and Joseph Halaweh will carry the banner forward."

He added: "We regret that coverage was only $3 per day for an elderly person staying here—a disgrace. We increased it by 150%, which is still insufficient, but it provides at least some support. Hence, we announce here that we have raised it from $3 to $8 out of a total of $10."

"This is still inadequate, but there is hope that we will continue raising coverage step by step. Previously, coverage for non-rehabilitable paralysis and disability was $4 out of $4—we raised it to $8 out of $11. For mental and psychological disorders, the ministry’s coverage was only $15 out of $19; now we cover $20 out of $25."

Minister Nassar al-Din stated: "Although this issue may not be discussed here, we face a serious challenge with drug addiction in Lebanon. Addiction could knock on the door of anyone—our son, brother, or friend. We don’t know. Previously, coverage did not exceed $530. We doubled it, so coverage for drug addiction is now $1,032. As for the Lady’s Hospital in Antelias, we had agreed with Sister Arzeh Al-Jamil—the beautiful, radiant face—to raise the ceiling based on her request. We increased it by 60% for the center and added 44 billion to the overall financial ceilings. We promise to increase this figure further in the 2027 budget."

Minister Nassar al-Din and his accompanying delegation toured various departments of both hospitals, reviewing ongoing work, identifying needs, listening to requests for increased financial support, and promising to fulfill them as soon as possible.