Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan has granted four emergency permits for the import of depleted and dwindling medicines into Lebanon, the Health Ministry announced on Thursday.
The permits were granted to licensed pharmaceutical companies with the aim of compensating the market for depleted medicines and combating monopolies, which is expected to improve health security in the next few days, the ministry said in a statement.
Import based on these permits will be in line with conditions specified by the Health Ministry, such as presenting the necessary documents and certificates.
“The selling price to the public will be at least twenty-five percent lower than the price available on the local market,” the ministry said.
The ministry also instructed pharmaceutical companies, and companies involved in medical and laboratory supplies, whose invoices have received subsidy transfers and approvals from the Central Bank of Lebanon during the past two months, to “assume their national responsibility and take the initiative” to deliver drugs to the local market.
Companies that fail to do so risk legal and financial prosecution.
Finally, the ministry called upon the concerned authorities at the Central Bank to coordinate directly and swiftly with it to determine priorities and expedite transfers and permits, in order to ensure the cooperation of companies that are reluctant to import.
