Nasser al-Din: Hospitalization Budget May Reach $250 Million

Minister of Public Health Rakan Nasser al-Din inaugurated the Second Surgical Medical Conference at the Raymond and Aida Najjar Medical Center in Saint Joseph University Hospital of the Sisters of the Cross, during an event reflecting the congregation's mission based on the best patient care, commitment to knowledge and education, keeping up with medical developments, exchanging experiences, and discussing practices.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Superior General of the Sisters of the Cross, Mother Mary Makhlouf, and the Council of Administrators; the Head of Saint Joseph Hospital, Sister Jeanne d'Arc Ghattas; the General Director of the Hospital, Sister Jihan Khairati; the Syndicate President of Private Hospitals Owners, Pierre Yard; the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Saint Joseph University, Professor Elie Nemr; the Medical Director of Saint Joseph Hospital, Professor Georges Noufel; the Advisor to the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Joseph Helou; the Director of Medical Care at the Ministry, Dr. Bernard Al-Bitar Ghanem; along with a number of municipal council members, a crowd of nuns, and family members of Saint Joseph Hospital.

Nasser al-Din: I felt the depth of love and dedication in service at Father Yakoub's monastery

Minister Nasser al-Din began his speech with a heartfelt talk recalling his impression upon visiting the Monastery of the Cross and Our Lady Hospital, noting that he felt during his visit to these two institutions founded by Father Yakoub the depth of love and dedication in service; he paused at Father Yakoub's command "Serve the patients while kneeling," adding that it reminds him of the following Quranic verse: "And you will surely find the nearest of them in affection to the believers are those who say, 'We are Christians,' because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant."

Minister Nasser al-Din affirmed that humility and humanity are the languages Lebanon needs, considering that the love planted by monks and priests will remain stronger than wars, disasters, and crises, and that this blessing is a motivation to continue the journey.

The Minister moved to the health reality, stressing that the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Health is great, given its daily direct contact with citizens and the fact that health does not tolerate delay. He said that a person may find alternatives for some basic services, but cannot be asked to wait at the emergency door or when needing medication.

In this context, he expressed his grievance over the failure to pass the Universal Health Coverage Law in the Parliament, despite its approval in the Parliamentary Health Committee, noting that the law would have secured the necessary funding to cover Lebanese citizens who do not benefit from any guarantor entity. He affirmed that the priority must be securing the necessary funding for health services, away from considerations that prevented the passage of the law, which may include politics as one aspect.

The Minister of Public Health addressed the expansion of hospitalization coverage with figures, clarifying that the Ministry's contribution to hospitalization was around $38 million in 2024, before rising to more than $150 million last year due to the expansion of therapeutic protocols. He predicted that coverage would reach approximately $250 million by the end of 2026, given the additional expansion in health services and coverages.

He indicated that these figures reflect the magnitude of efforts made, but they are still insufficient in the face of rising energy costs and medical supplies, and suppliers' insistence on receiving their dues in cash, which constitutes an additional burden on the hospital sector.

He affirmed that the partnership between the public and private sectors forms a fundamental entry point for improving health services, noting that the Ministry is working to enhance cooperation with private hospitals, especially in complex and major surgeries, including organ transplants, scoliosis surgeries, and vascular surgeries, which require specialized capabilities and expertise.

He pointed out that private hospitals continued their cooperation with the Ministry since 2019, despite the successive challenges witnessed by Lebanon, from the financial collapse and the coronavirus pandemic to the Beirut Port explosion and the war, while hospitalization tariffs remained unchanged despite the significant rise in costs.

He revealed that the Ministry is conducting, in cooperation with the Syndicate of Private Hospitals Owners, a study to review hospitalization invoices, aiming to reach a more realistic tariff that takes into account the Ministry's financial capabilities on one hand, and the actual increase in hospitalization costs on the other.

Regarding the financial ceilings for hospitals, the Minister indicated that the Ministry fought the battle of the 2026 budget and managed to raise the financial ceiling for hospitalization to about $350 million, affirming his commitment in 2027 to support Saint Joseph University Hospital according to its needs and visions for the next year, as well as supporting all other hospitals based on the vision they present regarding their capacity to provide services.

He stressed that the Ministry adopts a policy of partnership rather than imposition, placing patient service at the core of its priorities, guided by Father Yakoub's message based on serving while kneeling.

Nasser al-Din concluded by affirming that the distribution of financial ceilings will be done with full transparency, away from political considerations, saying that politics belongs to the Cabinet and the Parliament, not the health sector, which remains a space for serving citizens with a national and humanitarian spirit, in loyalty to Lebanon which gave its children much.

Conference Chairman: We seek to transfer knowledge to new generations

Conference Chairman Dr. Hampik Raphael Kourieh welcomed the attendees, explaining that Saint Joseph University Hospital is not merely a hospital institution, but also a university, academic, and training institution, in cooperation with Saint Joseph University in Beirut, seeking to transfer knowledge to new generations and provide high-quality healthcare combining scientific competence and human care.

He indicated that the conference embodies this message through a rich and diverse scientific program spanning two days, addressing the latest medical innovations and developments in surgery, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, particularly in cardiovascular diseases, alongside developments in vaccines and obesity treatments, reaching cancer treatments and early tumor detection methods.

He expressed hope that the conference would develop in its next cycle to become a regional and international conference, attracting an elite group of doctors and experts from Lebanon and the world, with the aim of exchanging experiences and learning about the latest scientific and medical developments, contributing to the development of medical practice and raising the quality of healthcare provided to the Lebanese patient.

Medical Director: Maintaining a high scientific level while considering patients' realities

In turn, the Medical Director of Saint Joseph University Hospital, Dr. Georges Noufel, announced that the university hospital bears a special responsibility; it is a place where care, education, and research integrate; experience is transferred there, decisions are discussed, and young doctors learn how to combine precise knowledge, good judgment, and respect for humans. He said: "What we teach new generations is embodied in our behavior as much as in our lectures: in the way we listen to the patient, acknowledge the limits of our knowledge, ask for colleagues' opinions, and take responsibility for decisions. This is the culture we want to establish in our institution." He added that the diversity of specialties present at this conference reflects the nature of medicine today. The patient comes to us with an integrated condition, where diagnostic, therapeutic, psychological, and social aspects intersect. The better the dialogue between our specialties, the more accurate our decisions, the more consistent our care, and the clearer and safer the patient's path.

Dr. Noufel continued, confirming that this responsibility acquires an additional dimension. We are required to maintain a high scientific level while considering patients' realities and their ability to access treatment. This calls for wise selection of technologies, prudent use of resources, and constant concern that appropriate care reaches those who need it. From the position of medical management, we see in this conference an opportunity to transform what we learn into practical steps within the hospital, enhance cooperation between our departments, develop continuous education, and monitor outcome quality.

Sister Khairati: The hospital carries the imprint of its founder

In her speech, the General Director of Saint Joseph University Hospital, Sister Jihan Khairati, cited the humanitarian message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, stating that the world does not only need artificial intelligence, but human intelligence illuminated by wisdom, political authority guided by conscience, and technological innovation directed by love.

She said she found in this idea something that touches the essence of the message believed by Saint Joseph University Hospital, indicating that the hospital stands today at the intersection of science and the humanitarian message, amidst technological acceleration and scientific progress, striving to keep pace with innovation, research, development, and launching towards wider horizons.

She affirmed that looking to the future does not mean forgetting roots, as technology, no matter how advanced, remains a means, while the goal remains the human being, their dignity, health, pains, and hopes.

She added that the hospital carries the imprint of its founder and the legacy of the nuns who managed it, alongside the contributions of doctors and employees who exerted efforts to make science and mercy its identity, and quality a deeply rooted culture in its practices.

She pointed out that Father Yakoub wanted the hospital, from its beginnings, to be a home, a hospital, and a family, where service meets the human spirit, and science and medical intelligence are harnessed to serve humans, especially the poorest of the poor.

She indicated that the hospital stands today on the threshold of a historic milestone represented by its 75th jubilee, carrying the same trust, but with new tools, renewed ambition, and greater responsibility towards the future.

She concluded by affirming that the journey will continue through diligent work, continuous effort, and daily struggle to preserve the hospital's authenticity and mission, expressing hope that the scientific days would become a renewed annual station for developing knowledge, exchanging experiences, building relationships, and launching initiatives.

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Saint Joseph University: Committed to supporting the hospital in serving society

For his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Saint Joseph University, Professor Elie Nemr, affirmed that Saint Joseph Hospital started as a home established to receive the needy, before expanding its services in response to health needs, becoming a comprehensive hospital. He said that the hospital does not reject any needy person, but receives them and provides care, quoting Mother Arza Gemayel's statement: "We cannot say no to any patient."

He addressed Minister Nasser al-Din, confirming that any assistance provided to the hospital and other institutions affiliated with the Monastery of the Cross falls within performing a national duty, aimed at enhancing these institutions' ability to continue their humanitarian mission.

Nemr expressed pride in the partnership between the Faculty of Medicine at Saint Joseph University and Saint Joseph Hospital, noting that the hospital's transformation into a university hospital imposes additional responsibilities, including organizing medical conferences and preparing scientific studies and research.

He added that the start is encouraging despite challenges, thanking the organizers of the conference and confirming that the Faculty of Medicine at Saint Joseph University will provide all possible support to ensure its continuity, based on its belief that what the hospital does serves Lebanese society.