The Ministry of Public Health

Organization Chart

Major Responsibilities of the MOPH Administrative Unit

A-General Directorate

It has three departments directly associated with it in addition to the general administration service and the services of public health in the Mohafazat:

a- IT department:

Dissemination of Ministry’s information
Information networking with other institutions

b- Department of projects and programs:

Preparing the Ministry’s Plan of Action and related policy plans
Providing proposals for laws and decrees to meet the role of the MOH

c- Department of Control on Public Hospitals:

Newly established, follows up on the performance indicators for public hospitals.

General Administration Service

Ministry’s Post Office
Information Desk
Assigning Standards for the Bids
Issuing buyer’s certificates for drugs and equipment
Preparing the Budget
Expense Allocation
Employee’s transactions
Legal consultations for health related matters
Communication with international organizations
Issuing and renewing employees’ contracts and other certificates, including HRH of the Ministry of health various departments and peripheral units.

Services of Public Health at the Provinces

Responsible of the administrative health services of the districts under their supervision

B- Directorate of Preventive Medicine:

Includes 4 services in addition to the department of statistics:

Department of Statistics

Gathering health information from various stakeholders
Information sharing inside and outside of the ministry
Gathering statistical data and preparing statistical reports

Service of Sanitary Engineering

Setting up food and nutrition strategies for food hygiene and food born diseases and malnutrition
Conducting studies on children’s nutritional status based on the Health file information
Initiating health inspection activities and water safety studies
Insects control
Food safety
Classification of the production industry
Setting water safety standards

Service of preventive medicine:

Gathering information on mandatory reported diseases
Epidemiological surveillance and control
Setting communicable disease programs
Performing health inspection on passengers (In and out of Lebanon)
Vaccinating Lebanese people travelling to high risk areas
food inspection and sanitation on airplanes
Initiating Epidemiologic Surveillance and assuring Primary Health care
Training medical doctors on the principles of preventive medicine

Service of Social Health

Setting and implementing health education programs
Initiating school health programs in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
Training health workers in public and private sectors
Preparing health education and promotion materials
Responsible for Safe motherhood and child health programs
Responsible for conducting studies and follow-ups in schools
Responsible for performance of midwives undergoing training
Training of Human Resources for Health in general
Issuing and distributing the health file for children and reviewing its content

Primary Health Care Service:

About 200 Primary health care centers are spread all over the Lebanese territory.
Primary Health care centers provide a basic affordable package of health services including: General Medicine - Pediatric Including Immunization services - Gynecology – Cardiology- Dental services In addition to the screening for non communicable diseases, in collaboration with WHO, and for acute malnutrition, in collaboration with UNICE, Reproductive Health in collaboration with UNFPA . .
The Primary Health care centers undergo accreditation process by Accreditation Canada to ensure the quality of their health services.
The Primary Health care centers use a specialized health information system (HIS ) .
The Ministry of Public Health, and through the Emergency Primary Healthcare Restoration Program (EPHRP) covers 150,000 vulnerable Lebanese with free Preventive Health Services in 6 packages, (through 75 PHC centers):
- children and Adolescents (0-18 years)
- females (19 years and above)
- males (19 years old and above)
- Non-communicable disease – Diabetes mellitus
- Non-communicable disease - Hypertension
- Reproductive Health

National Expanded program of Immunization:

Through the National Immunization Program, the primary health care department works to raise the level of routine immunization in order to maintain a polio-free Lebanon, especially in light of the continuing displacement crisis. It also aims to eradicate measles and rubella by the end of 2020.

Activities and Achievements: Nearly half a million (0.5 Million) children under five are vaccinated on the Lebanese territory during each national immunization campaign to contribute to the eradication of polio and measles with the support from the WHO and UNICEF.
A postage stamp marking the 30th anniversary of the polio program was launched in 2016.
Lebanon is the fifth country in the world to receive accreditation for the Vaccine Cold Chain. An exemplary Cold Chain system is maintained by equipping the vaccine distribution and health centers with solar, gas and electrical refrigerators, the equipment provided with the support of the European Union and UNICEF.
Each year about 77,000 children are vaccinated in health centers, against: Measles, Rubella, Mumps, Pertussis, Whooping cough, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Hemophilus influenza B and Pneumococcal conjugate.
Five vaccination centers at the Lebanese borders, and four vaccination centers within UNHCR registration sites were established to provide vaccination and malnutrition screening services.

The Department of Health of the Disabled is under the service of social health but is not an active department

Service of Occupational Health

Deals with diseases and risks of the job and job-related activities

C- Directorate of Medical Care:

Includes two services:

Service of hospitals, dispensaries, and medical professions

Handling records of patients treated at the expense of MOH
Setting and controlling contracts of the MOH with Health service providers
Performing medical audits on hospital bills
Issuing certificates of practice for medical professions
Issuing certificates for health facilities
Quality control on medical facilities

Service of Pharmacy

Issuing certificates related to pharmacies and pharmacists’ practice
Drug pricing
Drug industry management and control
Narcotic drugs’ imports, distribution, and statistics
Medicinal imports/exports
Drug registration and control
Registration of non-medicinal health-related items
Pharmacies’ and drugstores’ inspection
Controlling fraud in the pharmaceutical industry

It is worth noting that some of the previously mentioned departments are almost dormant, and very few, if any, activities are performed, either due to the lack of personnel or motivation, or to the lack of funding. In addition, in 1996, a decree was issued to stop employment in the public sector, which resulted in overloaded personnel, with high average age structure and many neglected essential activities.
A new organizational structure of the MOPH is proposed, and is currently waiting for legislative measures to take effect.

In addition to these departments, there are various committees that were established according to their specialized roles:

Medical audit committee
Prosthetic committee
Committee of control of communicable diseases
Open heart committee
Tobacco control committee
Drug committees
Permanent Medical Committee
Official Medical committees (1 for each Mohafazat)

The Joint Programs between the MOPH, WHO and YMCA

Currently, there are 5 programs running, namely the National AIDS Program (NAP), the Tuberculosis Program (TB), Non-Communicable Disease Program (NCPD), Injuries and Accidents Program, Drugs registration and control program.

In addition to these programs, there is the YMCA contract with the MOPH to deliver drugs for chronic diseases all over Lebanon.

Ministers of Health

The Ministers of Health since the time of the Prime Minister Riad Solh in 1944 until today.

NB	From	To	Minister of Health	Prime Minister
74	10/9/2021		Dr. Firass Abiad	Najib Mikati
73	21/1/2020	10/9/2021	Dr. Hamad Hasan	Hassan Diab
72	31/1/2019	21/1/2020	Dr. Jamil Jabak	Cheikh Saad Hariri
71	18/12/2016	31/1/2019	Ghassan Hasbani	Cheikh Saad Hariri
70	15/02/2014	18/12/2016	Waël Abou Faour	Tammam Salam
69	13/06/2011	15/02/2014	Ali Hassan Khalil	Najib Mikati
68	9/11/2009	13/01/2011	Dr. Mhammad Jawad khalifeh	Cheikh Saad Hariri
67	19/07/2005	9/11/2009	Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh	Fouad Al Sanyoura
66	19/04/2005	19/07/2005	Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh	Najib Mikati
65	26/10/2004	19/04/2005	Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh	Omar Karameh
64	26/10/2000	26/10/2004	Sleiman Franjieh	Rafic Hariri
63	04/12/1998	26/10/2000	Karam Karam	Selim Hoss
62	07/11/1996	04/12/1998	Sleiman Franjieh	Rafic Hariri
61	25/05/1995	07/11/1996	Marwan Hamadeh	Rafic Hariri
60	31/10/1992	25/05/1995	Marwan Hamadeh	Rafic Hariri
59	16/05/1992	30/10/1992	Marwan Hamadeh	Rachid Solh
58	24/12/1990	15/05/1992	Jamil Kebbeh	Rachid Karameh
57	25/11/1989	23/12/1990	Abdallah Rassi	Selim Hoss
56	22/09/1988	25/11/1989	Edgard Maalouf	Michel Aoun
55	30/04/1984	22/09/1988	Pierre Gemayel	Rachid Karameh
Nomination of Joseph Hashem after the death of Pierre Gemayel
54	08/10/1982	29/04/1984	Adnan Mroueh	Chafic Wazzan
53	25/10/1980	08/10/1982	Nazih Bizri	Chafic Wazzan
52	16/07/1979	25/10/1980	Talal Merhebi	Selim Hoss
51	09/12/1976	16/07/1979	Ibrahim Cheaito	Selim Hoss
50	01/07/1975	09/12/1976	Majid Irslan	Rachid Karameh
49	23/05/1975	01/07/1975	Noureddine Rifaii	Noureddine Rifaii
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement
48	31/10/1974	23/05/1975	Majid Irslan	Rachid Solh
47	08/07/1973	30/10/1974	Ousman Dana	Takieddine Solh
46	25/04/1973	08/07/1973	Amin Hafez	Amin Hafez
Resigned in 14/06/1973 and the resignation has been approved in 08/07/1973
45	27/05/1972	25/04/1973	Nazih Bizri	Saeb Salam
44	13/10/1970	27/05/1972	Emile Bitar	Saeb Salam
Nomination of Henri Torbey after the resignation of Emile Bitar
43	25/11/1969	13/10/1970	Habib Moutran	Rachid Karameh
42	15/01/1969	25/11/1969	Khatchik Babikian	Rachid Karameh
41	20/10/1968	15/01/1969	Pierre Gemayel	Abdallah Yafi
40	12/10/1968	20/10/1968	Pierre Gemayel	Abdallah Yafi
Resigned in 20/10/1968
39	08/02/1968	12/10/1968	Khaled Joumblat	Abdallah Yafi
38	06/12/1966	08/02/1968	Nassib Barbir	Rachid Karameh
37	09/04/1966	06/12/1966	Kamel Assaad	Abdallah Yafi
36	25/07/1965	09/04/0966	Mohamed Knio	Rachid Karameh
35	18/11/1964	25/07/1965	Yacoub Sarraf	Hussein Ouwaini
34	25/09/1964	18/11/1964	Mohamed Knio	Hussein Ouwaini
33	20/02/1964	25/09/1964	Mohamed Knio	Hussein Ouwaini
32	31/10/1961	20/02/1964	Ali Bazze	Rachid Karameh
31	20/05/1961	31/10/1961	Pierre Gemayel	Saeb Salam
30	01/08/1960	20/05/1961	Elias Khoury	Saeb Salam
29	14/05/1960	01/08/1960	Awad Mikdad	Ahmad Daouk
28	14/10/1958	14/05/1960	Pierre Gemayel	Rachid Karameh
27	24/09/1958	14/10/1958	Mohamed Safieddine	Rachid Karameh
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement
26	14/03/1958	24/09/1958	Albert Mokhaiber	Sami Solh
25	18/08/1957	14/03/1958	Joseph Skaff	Sami Solh
24	18/11/1956	18/08/1957	Majid Irslan	Sami Solh
23	08/06/1956	18/11/1956	Nazih Bizri	Abdallah Yafi
22	19/03/1956	08/06/1956	Nazih Bizri	Abdallah Yafi
21	19/09/1955	19/03/1956	Nazih Bizri	Rachid Karameh
20	09/07/1955	19/09/1955	Jibrael Murr	Sami Solh
19	16/09/1954	09/07/1955	Charles Helou	Sami Solh
Nomination of Georges Hraoui After the resignation of Charles Helou
18	01/03/1954	16/09/1954	Kazem Khalil	Abdallah Yafi
17	16/08/1953	01/03/1954	Kazem Khalil	Abdallah Yafi
16	30/04/1953	16/08/1953	Rashid Baydoun	Saeb Salam
15	20/09/1952	30/04/1953	Selim Haidar	Khaled Chehab
14	18/09/1952	30/09/1952	Nazem Akkari	Fouad Chehab
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement
13	09/09/1952	14/09/1952	Bassil Trad	Nazem Akkari
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement
	14/09/1952	18/09/1952	Bassil Trad	Saeb Salam
12	11/02/1952	09/09/1952	Majid Irslan	Sami Solh
11	07/06/1951	11/02/1952	Bahij Takieddine	Abdallah Yafi
10	14/02/1951	07/06/1951	Boulos Fayad	Hussein Ouwaini
09	01/10/1949	14/02/1951	Raiif Abillamah	Riad Solh
08	26/07/1948	01/10/1949	Elias Khoury	Riad Solh
07	07/06/1947	26/07/1948	Kamil Chamoun	Riad Solh
06	14/12/1946	07/06/1947	Elias Khoury	Riad Solh
05	22/05/1946	14/12/1946	Majid Irslan	Sa"di Mounla
04	22/08/1945	22/05/1946	Jamil Talhouk	Sami Solh
03	09/01/1945	22/08/1945	Ahmad Assaad	AbdelHamid Karameh
02	03/07/1944	09/01/1945	Majid Irslan	Riad Solh
01	25/09/1943	02/07/1944	Majid Irslan	Riad Solh