The syndicate of hospital owners in Lebanon pointed out in a statement that "the Ministry of Public Health recently signed with hospitals an appendix to the contract signed for the year 2022 and the contract for the year 2023 in order to be able to pay the dues due to hospitals for the year 2022. However, in order for these contracts to take effect, they need a decree issued by the Council of ministers, which seems impossible at the moment, which means that hospitals will not receive their dues for the year 2022 in the foreseeable future".

The statement explained that "hospitals suffering from the dire economic situation do not have the ability to bear the repercussions of this reality, and they will see themselves forced not to receive patients at the expense of the Ministry of public health, especially since they pay all their purchases and wages on a monthly basis and they urgently need to collect their dues on a regular basis.

"Hospitals will not be able to provide medicines and medical supplies for dialysis patients, which will force them to bear the cost of their treatment, and this also applies to patients receiving chemotherapy", it warned.

Appreciating the "efforts made by the minister of Health to address the problem", the syndicate appealed to the prime minister "to solve this matter and work to find the necessary way for hospitals to reach their dues".