The most alarming situation these days is that some patients cannot afford their medications due to exorbitant prices, leading to interruptions in their treatment which can result in severe complications and hospitalizations. In light of this reality, and to address the potential dangers that may escalate in the coming days, a team of healthcare professionals, including several doctors from various specialties and 76 students from the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Pharmacy, initiated a scientific study to closely monitor the ongoing crisis and widely disseminate its findings. The aim is to investigate the consequences of irregular intake of chronic medications on patient health.
Dr. Nacih Bou Shahin, director of the National Center for Drug, Food, Water, and Chemical Quality at the Lebanese University and a participant in the study, revealed the extent of suffering experienced by Lebanese citizens, especially those with chronic diseases who require regular and monthly medications. He pointed out that the foundational question was, "Is the patient able to purchase their medications or not?"
In shocking figures reflecting the current reality, Bou Shahin disclosed the monthly cost for purchasing chronic medications for a single patient, which includes medications for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, heart conditions, and anticoagulants, ranging between 1,800,000 and 2,800,000 Lebanese pounds. This is a substantial amount for an employee who still receives their salary in Lebanese pounds and faces high monthly expenses, including rent, telecommunications, electricity, transportation, and daily living costs.
Bou Shahin announced that the consumption of neurological medications, psychiatric drugs, and antidepressants has surged significantly, exceeding 37%. He highlighted that the study arose from the harsh reality the country faces, where some medications are available while others are missing. Some are subsidized, while others are not; even the subsidized ones can sometimes be unavailable, forcing patients to purchase them from the black market or request alternative medications. He warned about these unregulated drugs, which do not enter the country through legal means and lack basic safety conditions regarding their transport, storage, and quality, making them ineffective and potentially harmful.
Confronted with this reality, Bou Shahin noted: "We have observed patients discontinuing their medications regularly, making them susceptible to complications such as strokes, paralysis, heart attacks, and more, leading to hospitalizations that are not accessible for low-income individuals due to exorbitant costs." He pointed out that the study categorizes individuals into those who take their medications regularly and those who are irregular or have stopped taking their medications.
Bou Shahin cautioned about the impact of this situation on public health, especially with the summer season and seasonal illnesses like food poisoning due to power outages affecting food preservation, or COVID-19, which has seen rising infection rates and the exorbitant cost of treatment.
Lebanon has seen significant declines in health quality, particularly due to the emigration of doctors and medical staff, citizens’ decreased incomes, and the high costs of hospitals, leading some to close departments. This is the current state of healthcare in Lebanon, while much effort is needed to preserve what remains of both the people’s resilience and that of the hospitals and doctors. The country is in dire need of intensive care to rescue it from its severe illness before it is too late.
