SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 9 February 2025, Sunday |

Baalbek pharmacies abide by decision to hold a strike

Pharmacies in the Lebanese city of Baalbek have abided for the second consecutive day by a decision to hold a strike, and closed their doors in protest of the shortage of medicine delivered by warehouses and distribution companies, the National News Agency reported on Saturday.

Pharmacies are on a strike after several types of medicine are now out of stock and baby milk is barely available.

In parallel, a gathering of pharmacies’ owners reiterated its decision to stop working next Friday and Saturday over the deteriorating health and pharmaceutical condition in the country, calling for a swift solution to this crisis.

Pharmacies across the Lebanese territories closed their doors on Friday in protest of severe supply shortages, while vehicles were seen parked in lines for hours near petrol stations since early hours.

The two-day strike called by pharmacists over lacking medicine is the latest sign of the country’s financial meltdown which appears to be spiraling out of control amid total inaction by the country’s politicians.

The country is reeling from an unprecedented economic crisis that has seen the local currency lose nearly 85% of its value since October 2019. Banks have locked people out of their deposits amid soaring inflation.

Lebanon’s health care system has been among the hardest hit, with some hospitals halting non-urgent surgeries, laboratories running out of test kits and doctors warning in recent days that they may even run out of anesthesia for operations.

    Source:
  • Lebanese National News Agency
  • Sawt Beirut International