Kataeb Leader MP Samy Gemayel, received at his office in Bikfaya a delegation from the Order of Pharmacists in Lebanon, headed by Dr. Joe Salloum. 

The meeting was attended by Head of Kataeb Health Council, Dr. Emily Hayek.

Talks focused on the risks that patients could face if the country slides into war whose consequences are unknown.
During the meeting, talks highlighted the role of the Order amid the current crisis and the administration of medicine in a bid to prevent the storage of medicine and the repetition of the 2021 scenario when the subsidized medicine was being smuggled abroad.

The meeting also presented the medical reality related to cancer and incurable diseases in which the patient is forced to resort to smuggled and counterfeit medicines.

Talks also focused on the Order’s cooperation with the competent authorities to stop the violations in order to preserve the patient’s health and Lebanon’s image and its pharmaceutical identity.

The talks stressed on the importance of prosecuting illegal pharmacies.

For his part, Gemayel stressed the importance of protecting the Lebanese patients and preventing any additional complications that could result from any military developments, focusing on the work that should be exerted to raise the demands of pharmacists when necessary.

For his part, Salloum said: “We, as the Pharmacist Order, were honored to visit Kataeb Leader Samy Gemayel. During our meeting, we presented the health and medicine reality in Lebanon and the suffering of patients who have cancer and incurable diseases. We also presented the work done by the Order to preserve the quality of medicine and provide it to the patients.”

“We affirmed to the Kataeb Leader that the reality of medicine does not allow the country to wage war against a criminal enemy, and hence the necessity for the Lebanese government to prevent any war. We also stated the situation of illegal and smuggled medicines,” he added.

"We also emphasized the need to develop a sustainable pharmaceutical policy and put a comprehensive plan that provides the patients with good medicines from the health card and unifies the social funds. The Lebanese are left on their own devices," he concluded.