Primary Health Care

Only Primary Health care (PHC) centers that are within the National Network of Primary Care Centers  are entitled to essential drugs provided by MoPH (PHC Department). Dispensaries cannot benefit from this service.

To receive essential drugs, PHC centers send an Essential Drugs Request (EDR) to MoPH-PHC coordinator in each district specifying the type and quantities of drugs needed. The request is then signed by MoPH- Head of PHC Department. Once  approved, the order is transferred to the central warehouse. The responsible authority at the warehouse then agrees on a date with the PHC center to receive the requested drugs.

MoPH (PHC Department) reserves the right to adjust the quantities to meet the needs of a more realistic projected number of beneficiaries. This adjustment is based on previous reports on the number of beneficiaries at PHC centers in addition to the input from MoPH PHC Coordinators of the different regions.
MoPH has a responsibility to allocate existing resources based on actual need in order to prevent waste and/or inequity between the regions.

Some delays are due to failure in procurement of drugs by the responsible agencies (in this case, UNICEF and/or YMCA).  
Occasionally, some drugs stop arriving to Lebanon due to international shortages (i.e. the quantity of drugs produced does not correspond to the international demand for those drugs).
YMCA also occasionally receives donations of certain drugs that are not within the MoPH Essential Drug List. These drugs are distributed to the PHC centers in the YMCA network and then discontinued when the donated stock is depleted. YMCA does not renew this stock because the drug is not on the essential list. Some PHCs report this as a shortage when in fact, it isn’t.
These are the only instances where the MoPH cannot provide the PHC centers with the requested (and approved) drug on time. In those instances, MoPH follows the issue closely with the procuring agencies in order to speed up the process. The MoPH never denies access to a requested and approved drug if it is available at the central warehouse (Carantina).

It is the responsibility of the procuring agencies (UNICEF and YMCA) to inform MoPH (PHC Department) of any delays or shortages as soon as they are made aware of them. This information will then be communicated by MoPH (PHC Department) to the PHC centers.