Lebanese Ministry of Health Freezes Hospital Contract Due to Dialysis Complaints

The media office of the Ministry of Public Health announced in a statement that the Minister of Public Health in the caretaker government, Firas Al-Abyad, "issued a decision to freeze the contract with Belvue Hospital after complaints were received about additional charges for dialysis sessions, which constitutes a violation of applicable laws and contract terms." The statement confirmed that "patients requiring dialysis will be provided for in nearby hospitals within a maximum period of two months." This decision is the second of its kind taken by the Minister of Public Health after freezing a contract with another hospital due to issues concerning dialysis patients. In a statement, Minister Al-Abyad emphasized that he would not "tolerate any violation regarding the exploitation of difficult financial conditions to impose burdensome fees on patients and violate laws, which undermines the humanitarian and medical mission." He stated, "The cancellation of the contract, which is the second of its kind after a previous freeze with a private hospital, reaffirms the necessity of adhering to the required conditions set by the ministry, especially since it relies on fair tariffs that are increased periodically, with an additional increase announced just two weeks ago."