The Minister of Public Health Firas Abiad said that “it was necessary to take a step to partially lift the subsidy for the medicines of incurable and chronic diseases, but I assure that there is no complete removal of subsidies on it, but this step was inevitable sooner or later due to the lack of funds.”

Abiad added during a radio interview: “It is true that there is a group of Lebanese who are unable to afford medicine, that’s why there are primary care centers to provide a number of medicines for free.”

He added: “Supporting raw materials required for pharmaceutical factories will sustain, as these factories provide around 500 medicines for chronic diseases and we are committed to supporting it.”