Dr. Rakan Nasser Al -Din, the Lebanese Minister of Health, praised the depth of the distinguished relations between the State of Qatar and Lebanon, praising the leadership of the State of Qatar in the health sector.
The Lebanese Minister of Health stressed in an interview with the Qatar News Agency (Qena), that the relations between the two countries extend their roots to many years, and are based on a joint keenness on their support and development in various fields.
He praised the great development witnessed by the State of Qatar in various sectors, especially in the health field, indicating that Qatar represents an advanced model to be followed in the regional and international health care systems.
He stressed that the State of Qatar stands alongside Lebanon and its continuous support to it, especially in the health sector, noting that in the existing cooperation with the Qatar Development Fund in the reconstruction of the Karnina Hospital.
He explained that the support of the State of Qatar for the Lebanese health sector was present in various stages, starting with the Corona’s pandemic crisis, through the explosion of the Beirut port, up to the recent Israeli aggression on Lebanon, stressing that this continuous support embodies the depth of brotherly relations between the two countries.
The Lebanese Minister of Health touched on his recent visit to Doha to participate in the sixth global ministerial summit for mental health, pointing to the meetings he conducted with a number of officials in Qatar Charitable, the Qatar Cancer Society and the Qatar Fund for Development and the Qatar Red Crescent, where ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the health and humanitarian fields were discussed.
Nasser Al -Din expressed his thanks to the State of Qatar for its continuous support for Lebanon, stressing his country’s readiness to enhance health cooperation and exchange experiences, especially in the field of response to crises and dealing with injuries resulting from disasters and wars.
He stressed the importance of Arab partnerships, including with the State of Qatar, to support the Lebanese health sector, which suffers from limited resources, but it includes high human and professional competencies at the same time.
He revealed an improvement in health coverage of patients under the supervision of the Lebanese Ministry of Health, by expanding the drug protocols, especially for cancerous diseases, and providing gradual coverage of kidney transplants and heart valves, as well as promoting mental health support, especially for chronic conditions.
The Minister of Health indicated that the budget of the Ministry of Health in Lebanon for the year 2024 amounted to about 445 million dollars, while the budget in 2025 is about 480 million dollars, noting that more than 200 million dollars spent on the hospital bill alone.