Healthcare sector in Lebanon carrying its own, but still in need of coordined development

ENAR

If Lebanon were to visit a doctor for a head-to-toe physical, she might leave the appointment with a few prescriptions in hand. A check up on the overall robustness of the nation’s health infrastructure would show the vital signs of the country’s health sector as generally good, albeit with some lingering concerns, such as reports of malpractice and medical insurance fraud. This examination is in the context of Lebanon’s impromptu multi-year stress test—the unplanned influx of Syrian refugees that began accelerating in 2013, placing strain on its medical centers, hospitals, and primary health facilities—during which the country has not buckled. The overall diagnosis is that the healthcare sector requires coordinated development between the public and the for-profit and non-profit private sectors (see overview story, page 16). The private sector needs to learn and develop on the basis of the experiences of public health institutions and the Ministry of Public Health