The meeting of the regional parliamentary working group on universal health coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean region opened this morning in Beirut and will be held tomorrow at Movenpick Hotel.

Hasbani noted the importance of this conference for the health sector and Lebanon that ranks high in this field. He also briefed on all the achievements of Lebanon in the health care sector, the universal health coverage and the sustainable development. “Health is one of the seventeen goals, but is almost related to all the sustainable development goals in 2030. Hence, different committees were formed to look at these goals from different angles.”

Hasbani added that he didn’t wait until 2030, but worked instead on the elaboration of a health plan which he called Health 2025 and started to implement. “We started to enhance primary health care centers as a key element to the universal health coverage, by enhancing their role across the country in cooperation with the civil sector, local authorities such as municipalities and civil societies and the international organizations, i.e., the world health organization and the World Bank.”

“The health-related legislations were amended and discussed to bring them in line with Health 2025 and the universal health coverage. The law on this coverage was passed at the committees of Public Health, administration, justice, finance and budget. It still needs to be passed by the general legislative body,” Hasbani added.

Hasbani outlined this law which stipulates that each Lebanese citizen shall have a medical file, regardless of his insurer and he shall also benefit from the annual campaign package.

“Health is a key element in the sustainability of the societies as no society can grow without good health and high productivity of citizens that is not hindered by health matters of any kind.”