Lebanon inks deal with French foundation on medical laboratory development

Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad on Sunday signed an agreement with France's Merieux Foundation for the development of Lebanon's medical laboratories amid a lingering financial crisis.

Under the agreement, the foundation will support the Lebanese health ministry in formulating a national plan for a network of public health laboratories and strengthening the capabilities of workers in these laboratories, Lebanon's National News Agency has reported.

The foundation will also help Lebanon conduct diagnostic laboratory tests in accordance with international quality standards and launch periodic monitoring programs for infectious diseases, according to the report.

"This partnership will strengthen epidemiological surveillance programs, maintain compliance with international quality standards in public and private laboratories, and activate early diagnosis of diseases and epidemics in Lebanon," Abiad was quoted as saying after signing the agreement with the foundation in the French city of Lyon.

The foundation aims to build and strengthen local capacities in developing countries to reduce the impact of infectious diseases on the most vulnerable groups of the population, according to the report.

Lebanon has been experiencing a steep financial crisis since 2019, which weighed heavily on the country's medical sectors and led to the immigration of many physicians and medical experts.