Lebanese medical importers warn that imported drugs are running out Business and Economic News

Lebanese are associated with numerous shortages, including gasoline and medicines, as caregivers discuss the removal of subsidies.

Lebanese medicine importers say hundreds of key drugs have been depleted and warned of further shortages if the money-ridden central bank does not unblock the funds.

Lebanese are experiencing a plethora of shortages, including gasoline and medication, as the interim government discusses the removal of subsidies, which the World Bank says is one of the worst financial crises in the world since the 1850s.

The local currency has lost more than 90% of its value on the black market, but the central bank gave importers dollars to cover much of the cost of drugs imported at a much better official rate.

The medicine “has almost completely stopped imports in the last month,” the association of pharmaceutical importers said on Sunday.

“The actions of importers with hundreds of drugs to treat chronic and incurable diseases have ended,” he warned. “And hundreds more will run out during July if we can’t get imports in as soon as possible.”

The union said the central bank has not released the promised dollars to pay suppliers abroad because they have accumulated a share of more than $ 600 million since December, and that importers cannot afford new lines of credit.

Union leader Karim Gebara told the AFP news agency that some drugs used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis were sold out.

If nothing is done, “the situation will be disastrous by the end of July,” and “hundreds of thousands of patients” will be deprived of medication, he warned.

On Thursday, President Michel Aoun said he himself, the outgoing ministers and the head of the central bank had agreed on the priority of “continuing to supply medicines and medicines” selected by the health ministry.

The government resigned after the port blast died on August 4 last year, but a widely divided political class has failed to agree on a new cabinet to get the nation out of the crisis.