Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Wednesday chaired at the Grand Serail a meeting devoted to discussing the situation of the country’s health sector and hospitals, attended by Caretaker Ministers of Finance Dr. Youssef El-Khalil, Public Health Dr. Firas Abiad, and Labor Dr. Mustafa Bayram.

The meeting was also attended by Dean of Private Hospitals’ Owners Syndicate Suleiman Haroun, Director General of the National Social Security Fund, Dr. Mohammed Karaki, and Director of the American University of Beirut Medical Center, Joseph Otayek.

On emerging, Caretaker Minister Bayram said that discussions during the meeting touched on an arary of health matters, including issues related to medical tariffs, medications and the extent of their availability, and the necessary funds and advances to hospitals.

The meeting agreed on following up on these matters.

On the other hand, Caretaker Premier Mikati  met with the World Bank’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Jean-Christophe Carret, in the presence of Mikati’s Advisors, former minister Nicolas Nahas and Ziad Mikati. Discussions reportedly touched on the World Bank’s projects in Lebanon.

Separately, Mikati presided over a meeting devoted to discussing the demands of the unions of municipalities, attended by Caretaker Minister of Labor Mustafa Bayram, as well as heads of the unions of municipalities of: Jezzine Khalil Harfouche, Chouf Roger Al-Ashi, Iqlim Al-Tuffah Bilal Shehadeh, Buhaira Yahya Daher, Southern Suburb Mohammad Dergham, Keserwan-Ftouh Joan Hbeish, and Al- Dinniyeh Mohamed Saadieh.

Mikati later met at the Grand Serail with “Democratic Gathering” Secretary, MP Hadi Aboul Hessen, who said on emerging that they discussed the current general situation in the country, and the suffering of citizens especially in the issue of water and electricity, and the required ways to alleviate this suffering.