Pharmacies in Lebanon will close in protest starting this Friday, the Association of Pharmacy Owners announced on Thursday.
The association explained in a statement that pharmacists can no longer serve patients until the Health Ministry approves the price index and pricing table and protection is provided for pharmacies.
After the Health Ministry had set “more than one date” for issuing the lists of subsidized and unsubsidized medicines according to which the subsidy will be lifted, “none of those promises have been fulfilled, and they’ve remained ink on paper…,” the association said.
The association added that it had repeatedly sent requests to caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan asking him to expedite the rationing of subsidies according to clear regulations so that people’s medicinal needs would be secured.
Due to the shortages, pharmacists are receiving threats that range from property damage to physical harm due to the lack of medicines in their pharmacies, the statement pointed out, noting the lack of intervention by the Interior Ministry and security forces in this regard.
This, the association concluded, resulted in the decision to close pharmacies starting Friday morning until the aforementioned demands are met by the Health Ministry and security forces.
