Hospital Spending Rises to $150 Million, Plan Targets Over $250 Million

Minister of Public Health Rakkan Nasser al-Din affirmed that the ministry is working to restore confidence in the health sector, not only as an insurance entity but also as a regulatory body responsible for implementing health strategies. He stressed that achieving public interest and expanding hospital coverage are fundamental priorities in his work.

Nasser al-Din clarified during a dialogue session organized by the "Permanent National Forum for Action for Human Rights in Lebanon" at the American University of Culture and Education (AUCE) in Tiyouna, that the ministry managed to utilize funds previously frozen at the World Bank and the Islamic Bank to activate the network of government hospitals. These hospitals now receive approximately 60% of patients treated at the expense of the Ministry of Public Health.

He revealed that spending on hospitalization rose from $38 million in 2024 to more than $150 million in 2025, expecting it to exceed $250 million in 2026. He noted that this expenditure is covered by the ministry's budget amid restored confidence and accelerated payment of hospital dues. He explained that he referred invoices for July, August, and September to the Ministry of Finance this month to facilitate payments, which, according to him, contributed to rebuilding trust between the ministry and hospitals.

Regarding financial discrepancies requested from some displaced persons despite the ministry's decision to cover their treatment at 100%, Nasser al-Din emphasized the ministry's commitment to considering the conditions of displaced families and not burdening them with additional costs given their suffering from displacement and loss of loved ones.

He explained that 40 hospitals volunteered to participate in the initiative to cover treatments for displaced persons; however, this led to the rapid depletion of financial ceilings allocated to these hospitals. This prompted the ministry to develop a different mechanism in coordination with municipal unions and municipalities to ensure that displaced persons in need of treatment receive necessary medical support, alongside uninsured Lebanese citizens and port explosion victims, based on the principle of social justice.

As for private hospitals, he indicated that the ministry seeks to enhance cooperation with them to cover complex surgeries, including bone marrow transplants. He noted that patients previously had to appeal to authorities via television screens to secure the cost of these operations, which range between $30,000 and $60,000. This year, the ministry fully covered more than 70 bone marrow transplant surgeries at its expense at the American University.

Nasser al-Din announced that the ministry will sign an agreement with the Lebanese University to prepare for activating the Central Pharmaceutical Reference Laboratory, a step following a 35-year absence. He clarified that the decree regarding the laboratory links drug registration in Lebanon to conducting necessary tests at the central lab. He expects its opening within a few months after preparations begin and the ministry recommends securing required equipment expected to arrive in Lebanon soon.

In the file of cancer and chronic diseases, he explained that the ministry's policy relies on expanding therapeutic protocols to include high-cost drugs and enhancing competition in this sector, which contributed to reducing drug costs for the ministry and expanding the base of beneficiaries.

He revealed that the number of patients whose treatment is covered by the ministry increased from 19,000 to 28,000 patients, representing a 43% increase. Meanwhile, monthly spending allocated for these treatments rose from approximately $4 to $5 million to between $13 and $15 million.

He stressed that these amounts are actually spent on patients, confirming that the adopted digital tracking system limits possibilities of smuggling and waste. It allows the medical committee to approve medication without viewing patient identity, while enabling the ministry to monitor medications received by each patient and quantities available in warehouses. He considered digitization a fundamental guarantee to prevent waste and corruption and enhance oversight and transparency.

Nasser al-Din concluded by affirming that the reform path in the health sector is ongoing and not yet complete, despite achieving multiple accomplishments benefiting citizens. He stressed that the ministry will continue implementing additional steps to develop the health sector and expand medical coverage.