NNA – nbsp;The Ambassador of Italy to Lebanon, Nicoletta Bombardiere, together with the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Firass Abiad, visited today the Ministry of Public Healthrsquo;s Central Drug Warehouse (CDW) in Karantina in the presence of WHO representative, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar. The visit takes place within the framework of the ongoing contribution of the Italian Government in supporting access and availability to medical life-saving cancer care to vulnerable population groups and the pharmaceutical system building. nbsp;
This visit, which coincided with the arrival of part of the offered medications to the Health Ministryrsquo;s Central Drug Warehouse, was an opportunity to get acquainted with the overall system of drug distribution. It initiated with a brief introduction by the CDW Manager, Dr. Maha Naous, followed by a technical presentation by the National E-Health Program Director, Lina Abou Mrad, on Meditrack – MOPH tracking and tracing system. The visit ended with a guided tour of the warehouse, including the storage areas, the temperature control mechanisms, and the inventory.
The ongoing political and economic crises in Lebanon have had a devastating impact on children and adults suffering from cancer in terms of access to life-saving medication, resulting in an increased morbidity and mortality. The support provided by the Italian Government reflects the urgent need to address the shortage of lifesaving medicines and improve access to basic health services among vulnerable patients to reduce preventable mortality and morbidity. nbsp;
It is noteworthy to mention that the Italian Government contribution to procure oncology medications, finalized through the World Health Organization#39;s (WHO) Bilateral Emergency Fund, amounted to 1,250,000 euros in the past two years. Over 300 children and 1000 adult patients have benefited from these medications in the last two years.
Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere reaffirmed the Italian support to Lebanon in this challenging period and said: ldquo;Italy remains committed to assist the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health in improving public health system and better access to medical care, including lifesaving medications. We will continue to work closely with the Lebanese institutions and international organizations to respond to the urgent needs of the populationrdquo;.
The Minister of Public Health Dr. Firass Abiad, emphasized on the effective utilization of donor funds stating that, ldquo;The support of the Italian Government to Lebanon has been instrumental for the maintenance of essential functions of the health sector and for the adoption of innovative approaches, including digital transformation projects. The implementation of MediTrack constituted a reformative initiative to enhancing equitable access to medications and to the cost-effective use of resourcesrdquo;.
Meanwhile, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative acknowledged the generous support of the Italian Government and strong collaboration with the Italian Embassy and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Lebanon. Dr Abdinasir emphasized that ldquo;the importance of filling critical gaps during humanitarian crises, but also thinking ahead on building bridges for fast recovery of the health system, hence the support of the Italian Government has provided both in filling the lifesaving cancer medication, but also strengthening the pharmaceutical system for monitoring and traceability. The Italian Government#39;s generous support will enable MOPH and WHO to reach and save more children and adults who are suffering from cancer.rdquo;
Finally, WHO Representative thanked the Health Minister and Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere for their support and collaboration, and WHO will continued to work with all stakeholders to advocate greater access to basic health services under the umbrella of Universal Health Coverage and system building. nbsp;
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