Medicine in Lebanon Sufficient for Three Months

Pharmacies in Lebanon protest against lifting subsidies (NNA)
Pharmacies in Lebanon protest against lifting subsidies (NNA)
TT

Medicine in Lebanon Sufficient for Three Months

Pharmacies in Lebanon protest against lifting subsidies (NNA)
Pharmacies in Lebanon protest against lifting subsidies (NNA)

Lebanon’s caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan called on “rationalizing the distribution of medicine” and warned that the quantity of pharmaceutical drugs is sufficient for another three months.

Last week, Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces foiled several attempts to smuggle, through the Rafik Hariri International airport, hundreds of boxes of medicines outside the country.

The operations come as Lebanese people have started to stockpile medicines fearing they will no longer be available or that prices will increase with the Central Bank saying it may lift subsidies by the end of October.

During a meeting held Tuesday at the Health Ministry with representatives of pharmaceutical importers and distributors in Lebanon, Hassan said concerned parties have discussed efforts to guarantee the availability of subsidized medicines to all patients residing in the Lebanese territories.

The Minister said that it was unacceptable for medical companies to monopolize the market and that medicines ought to be distributed fairly to all pharmacies.

“The quantity of medicine available in warehouses is sufficient for two to three months,” he said, adding that the Ministry would start efforts to provide an additional amount of medicines sufficient for another three months with the money that is still available at the Central Bank.

Hassan said there is a difficulty resulting from delayed transactions at the Central Bank, in addition to a decision by its Gov. Riad Salameh stipulating importers of medicines to pay in cash.

“We call on the Governor to discuss issues related to the medical sector with the Health Ministry before taking any decisions that would leave a direct and negative effect on the medical service in the country,” the Minister added.

Last week, Hassan launched an inspection campaign of pharmaceutical businesses, including drug warehouses and pharmacies in light of reports about the hoarding of subsidized medicines with the aim of smuggling them out of Lebanon and selling them at a higher price.



Syria Reaches Deal to Integrate SDF within State Institutions, Presidency Says

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
TT

Syria Reaches Deal to Integrate SDF within State Institutions, Presidency Says

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)
A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) shaking the hand of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi after the signing of an agreement, to integrate the SDF into the state institutions, in the Syrian capital Damascus on March 10, 2025. (SANA / AFP)

The Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls much of Syria's oil-rich northeast, has signed a deal agreeing to integrate into Syria's new state institutions, the Syrian presidency said on Monday.

The deal, which included a complete cessation of hostilities, was signed by interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the SDF's commander, Mazloum Abdi.

Under the deal, whose text was posted online by the presidency, all civilian and military institutions in northeast Syria will be integrated within the state, which will thus take over control of borders, airports and oil and gas fields.

The SDF agrees to support the government in combating remnants of deposed president Bashar al-Assad's regime, and any threats to Syria's security and unity.

Since Assad was overthrown by Sharaa's Islamist forces in December, groups backed by Türkiye, one of Sharaa's main supporters, have clashed with the SDF, the main ally in a US coalition against ISIS militants in Syria.

The SDF is spearheaded by the YPG militia, a group that Ankara sees as an extension of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought the Turkish state for 40 years.

Türkiye regards the PKK, YPG and SDF as terrorist groups, and Sharaa's new Damascus administration had been pressing the SDF to merge into newly-minted state security forces.

Abdi had previously expressed a willingness for his forces to be part of the new defense ministry, but said they should join as a bloc rather than individuals, an idea that was rejected by the new government.

The US and Türkiye’s Western allies list the PKK as a terrorist group, but not the YPG or the SDF.