Health Minister wraps up France visit with key health cooperation agreements
Caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad concluded his visit to France with a series of high-level meetings in Paris, following earlier engagements in Lyon.
Over two days, discussions focused on enhancing health cooperation between Lebanon and France.
A key highlight was a meeting at the French Ministry of Health involving representatives from 14 major French university hospitals. The hospitals, responding to invitations from the French and Lebanese health ministries, discussed plans for twinning projects with public hospitals in Lebanon to improve healthcare services. The initiative, set to begin in April, will focus on cancer and cardiac care, dialysis, maternal and child health, emergency services, and intensive care.
Abiad also met with officials at the Pasteur Institute to advance the rehabilitation of Lebanon's central laboratory, a project supported by over $10 million in funding from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. The Pasteur Institute, in partnership with the World Health Organization, will oversee implementation.
Additional meetings addressed digital health strategies, cancer treatment (with a focus on pediatric oncology), and leveraging the expertise of the Lebanese-French medical diaspora.
The visit concluded with engagements at the Lebanese Embassy, where Abiad praised the diaspora's role in supporting Lebanon’s healthcare sector amid ongoing challenges.
