The Ministry of Public Health
Organization ChartMajor Responsibilities of the MOPH Administrative Unit
A-General Directorate
It has three departments directly associated with it in addition to the general administration service and the services of public health in the Mohafazat:
a- IT department:
- Dissemination of Ministry’s information
- Information networking with other institutions
b- Department of projects and programs:
- Preparing the Ministry’s Plan of Action and related policy plans
- Providing proposals for laws and decrees to meet the role of the MOH
c- Department of Control on Public Hospitals:
- Newly established, follows up on the performance indicators for public hospitals.
General Administration Service
- Ministry’s Post Office
- Information Desk
- Assigning Standards for the Bids
- Issuing buyer’s certificates for drugs and equipment
- Preparing the Budget
- Expense Allocation
- Employee’s transactions
- Legal consultations for health related matters
- Communication with international organizations
- Issuing and renewing employees’ contracts and other certificates, including HRH of the Ministry of health various departments and peripheral units.
Services of Public Health at the Provinces
- Responsible of the administrative health services of the districts under their supervision
B- Directorate of Preventive Medicine:
Includes 4 services in addition to the department of statistics:
Department of Statistics
- Gathering health information from various stakeholders
- Information sharing inside and outside of the ministry
- Gathering statistical data and preparing statistical reports
Service of Sanitary Engineering
- Setting up food and nutrition strategies for food hygiene and food born diseases and malnutrition
- Conducting studies on children’s nutritional status based on the Health file information
- Initiating health inspection activities and water safety studies
- Insects control
- Food safety
- Classification of the production industry
- Setting water safety standards
Service of preventive medicine:
- Gathering information on mandatory reported diseases
- Epidemiological surveillance and control
- Setting communicable disease programs
- Performing health inspection on passengers (In and out of Lebanon)
- Vaccinating Lebanese people travelling to high risk areas
- food inspection and sanitation on airplanes
- Initiating Epidemiologic Surveillance and assuring Primary Health care
- Training medical doctors on the principles of preventive medicine
Service of Social Health
- Setting and implementing health education programs
- Initiating school health programs in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
- Training health workers in public and private sectors
- Preparing health education and promotion materials
- Responsible for Safe motherhood and child health programs
- Responsible for conducting studies and follow-ups in schools
- Responsible for performance of midwives undergoing training
- Training of Human Resources for Health in general
- Issuing and distributing the health file for children and reviewing its content
Primary Health Care Service:
- About 200 Primary health care centers are spread all over the Lebanese territory.
- Primary Health care centers provide a basic affordable package of health services including: General Medicine - Pediatric Including Immunization services - Gynecology – Cardiology- Dental services In addition to the screening for non communicable diseases, in collaboration with WHO, and for acute malnutrition, in collaboration with UNICE, Reproductive Health in collaboration with UNFPA . .
- The Primary Health care centers undergo accreditation process by Accreditation Canada to ensure the quality of their health services.
- The Primary Health care centers use a specialized health information system (HIS ) .
- The Ministry of Public Health, and through the Emergency Primary Healthcare Restoration Program (EPHRP) covers 150,000 vulnerable Lebanese with free Preventive Health Services in 6 packages, (through 75 PHC centers):
- children and Adolescents (0-18 years)
- females (19 years and above)
- males (19 years old and above)
- Non-communicable disease – Diabetes mellitus
- Non-communicable disease - Hypertension
- Reproductive Health
National Expanded program of Immunization:
Through the National Immunization Program, the primary health care department works to raise the level of routine immunization in order to maintain a polio-free Lebanon, especially in light of the continuing displacement crisis. It also aims to eradicate measles and rubella by the end of 2020.
- Activities and Achievements: Nearly half a million (0.5 Million) children under five are vaccinated on the Lebanese territory during each national immunization campaign to contribute to the eradication of polio and measles with the support from the WHO and UNICEF.
- A postage stamp marking the 30th anniversary of the polio program was launched in 2016.
- Lebanon is the fifth country in the world to receive accreditation for the Vaccine Cold Chain. An exemplary Cold Chain system is maintained by equipping the vaccine distribution and health centers with solar, gas and electrical refrigerators, the equipment provided with the support of the European Union and UNICEF.
- Each year about 77,000 children are vaccinated in health centers, against: Measles, Rubella, Mumps, Pertussis, Whooping cough, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Hemophilus influenza B and Pneumococcal conjugate.
- Five vaccination centers at the Lebanese borders, and four vaccination centers within UNHCR registration sites were established to provide vaccination and malnutrition screening services.
The Department of Health of the Disabled is under the service of social health but is not an active department
Service of Occupational Health
Service of Occupational Health
- Deals with diseases and risks of the job and job-related activities
C- Directorate of Medical Care:
Includes two services:
Service of hospitals, dispensaries, and medical professions
- Handling records of patients treated at the expense of MOH
- Setting and controlling contracts of the MOH with Health service providers
- Performing medical audits on hospital bills
- Issuing certificates of practice for medical professions
- Issuing certificates for health facilities
- Quality control on medical facilities
Service of Pharmacy
- Issuing certificates related to pharmacies and pharmacists’ practice
- Drug pricing
- Drug industry management and control
- Narcotic drugs’ imports, distribution, and statistics
- Medicinal imports/exports
- Drug registration and control
- Registration of non-medicinal health-related items
- Pharmacies’ and drugstores’ inspection
- Controlling fraud in the pharmaceutical industry
It is worth noting that some of the previously mentioned departments are almost dormant, and very few, if any, activities are performed, either due to the lack of personnel or motivation, or to the lack of funding. In addition, in 1996, a decree was issued to stop employment in the public sector, which resulted in overloaded personnel, with high average age structure and many neglected essential activities.
A new organizational structure of the MOPH is proposed, and is currently waiting for legislative measures to take effect.
In addition to these departments, there are various committees that were established according to their specialized roles:
- Medical audit committee
- Prosthetic committee
- Committee of control of communicable diseases
- Open heart committee
- Tobacco control committee
- Drug committees
- Permanent Medical Committee
- Official Medical committees (1 for each Mohafazat)
The Joint Programs between the MOPH, WHO and YMCA
Currently, there are 5 programs running, namely the National AIDS Program (NAP), the Tuberculosis Program (TB), Non-Communicable Disease Program (NCPD), Injuries and Accidents Program, Drugs registration and control program.
In addition to these programs, there is the YMCA contract with the MOPH to deliver drugs for chronic diseases all over Lebanon.
Ministers of Health
The Ministers of Health since the time of the Prime Minister Riad Solh in 1944 until today.| NB | From | To | Minister of Health | Prime Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 8/2/2025 | Dr. Rakan Nassereldine | Nawaf Salam | |
| 74 | 10/9/2021 | 8/2/2025 | Dr. Firass Abiad | Najib Mikati |
| 73 | 21/1/2020 | 10/9/2021 | Dr. Hamad Hasan | Hassan Diab |
| 72 | 31/1/2019 | 21/1/2020 | Dr. Jamil Jabak | Cheikh Saad Hariri |
| 71 | 18/12/2016 | 31/1/2019 | Ghassan Hasbani | Cheikh Saad Hariri |
| 70 | 15/02/2014 | 18/12/2016 | Waël Abou Faour | Tammam Salam |
| 69 | 13/06/2011 | 15/02/2014 | Ali Hassan Khalil | Najib Mikati |
| 68 | 9/11/2009 | 13/01/2011 | Dr. Mhammad Jawad khalifeh | Cheikh Saad Hariri |
| 67 | 19/07/2005 | 9/11/2009 | Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh | Fouad Al Sanyoura |
| 66 | 19/04/2005 | 19/07/2005 | Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh | Najib Mikati |
| 65 | 26/10/2004 | 19/04/2005 | Dr. Mhammad Jawad Khalifeh | Omar Karameh |
| 64 | 26/10/2000 | 26/10/2004 | Sleiman Franjieh | Rafic Hariri |
| 63 | 04/12/1998 | 26/10/2000 | Karam Karam | Selim Hoss |
| 62 | 07/11/1996 | 04/12/1998 | Sleiman Franjieh | Rafic Hariri |
| 61 | 25/05/1995 | 07/11/1996 | Marwan Hamadeh | Rafic Hariri |
| 60 | 31/10/1992 | 25/05/1995 | Marwan Hamadeh | Rafic Hariri |
| 59 | 16/05/1992 | 30/10/1992 | Marwan Hamadeh | Rachid Solh |
| 58 | 24/12/1990 | 15/05/1992 | Jamil Kebbeh | Rachid Karameh |
| 57 | 25/11/1989 | 23/12/1990 | Abdallah Rassi | Selim Hoss |
| 56 | 22/09/1988 | 25/11/1989 | Edgard Maalouf | Michel Aoun |
| 55 | 30/04/1984 | 22/09/1988 | Pierre Gemayel | Rachid Karameh |
Nomination of Joseph Hashem after the death of Pierre Gemayel |
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| 54 | 08/10/1982 | 29/04/1984 | Adnan Mroueh | Chafic Wazzan |
| 53 | 25/10/1980 | 08/10/1982 | Nazih Bizri | Chafic Wazzan |
| 52 | 16/07/1979 | 25/10/1980 | Talal Merhebi | Selim Hoss |
| 51 | 09/12/1976 | 16/07/1979 | Ibrahim Cheaito | Selim Hoss |
| 50 | 01/07/1975 | 09/12/1976 | Majid Irslan | Rachid Karameh |
| 49 | 23/05/1975 | 01/07/1975 | Noureddine Rifaii | Noureddine Rifaii |
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement |
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| 48 | 31/10/1974 | 23/05/1975 | Majid Irslan | Rachid Solh |
| 47 | 08/07/1973 | 30/10/1974 | Ousman Dana | Takieddine Solh |
| 46 | 25/04/1973 | 08/07/1973 | Amin Hafez | Amin Hafez |
Resigned in 14/06/1973 and the resignation has been approved in 08/07/1973 |
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| 45 | 27/05/1972 | 25/04/1973 | Nazih Bizri | Saeb Salam |
| 44 | 13/10/1970 | 27/05/1972 | Emile Bitar | Saeb Salam |
Nomination of Henri Torbey after the resignation of Emile Bitar |
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| 43 | 25/11/1969 | 13/10/1970 | Habib Moutran | Rachid Karameh |
| 42 | 15/01/1969 | 25/11/1969 | Khatchik Babikian | Rachid Karameh |
| 41 | 20/10/1968 | 15/01/1969 | Pierre Gemayel | Abdallah Yafi |
| 40 | 12/10/1968 | 20/10/1968 | Pierre Gemayel | Abdallah Yafi |
Resigned in 20/10/1968 |
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| 39 | 08/02/1968 | 12/10/1968 | Khaled Joumblat | Abdallah Yafi |
| 38 | 06/12/1966 | 08/02/1968 | Nassib Barbir | Rachid Karameh |
| 37 | 09/04/1966 | 06/12/1966 | Kamel Assaad | Abdallah Yafi |
| 36 | 25/07/1965 | 09/04/0966 | Mohamed Knio | Rachid Karameh |
| 35 | 18/11/1964 | 25/07/1965 | Yacoub Sarraf | Hussein Ouwaini |
| 34 | 25/09/1964 | 18/11/1964 | Mohamed Knio | Hussein Ouwaini |
| 33 | 20/02/1964 | 25/09/1964 | Mohamed Knio | Hussein Ouwaini |
| 32 | 31/10/1961 | 20/02/1964 | Ali Bazze | Rachid Karameh |
| 31 | 20/05/1961 | 31/10/1961 | Pierre Gemayel | Saeb Salam |
| 30 | 01/08/1960 | 20/05/1961 | Elias Khoury | Saeb Salam |
| 29 | 14/05/1960 | 01/08/1960 | Awad Mikdad | Ahmad Daouk |
| 28 | 14/10/1958 | 14/05/1960 | Pierre Gemayel | Rachid Karameh |
| 27 | 24/09/1958 | 14/10/1958 | Mohamed Safieddine | Rachid Karameh |
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement |
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| 26 | 14/03/1958 | 24/09/1958 | Albert Mokhaiber | Sami Solh |
| 25 | 18/08/1957 | 14/03/1958 | Joseph Skaff | Sami Solh |
| 24 | 18/11/1956 | 18/08/1957 | Majid Irslan | Sami Solh |
| 23 | 08/06/1956 | 18/11/1956 | Nazih Bizri | Abdallah Yafi |
| 22 | 19/03/1956 | 08/06/1956 | Nazih Bizri | Abdallah Yafi |
| 21 | 19/09/1955 | 19/03/1956 | Nazih Bizri | Rachid Karameh |
| 20 | 09/07/1955 | 19/09/1955 | Jibrael Murr | Sami Solh |
| 19 | 16/09/1954 | 09/07/1955 | Charles Helou | Sami Solh |
Nomination of Georges Hraoui After the resignation of Charles Helou |
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| 18 | 01/03/1954 | 16/09/1954 | Kazem Khalil | Abdallah Yafi |
| 17 | 16/08/1953 | 01/03/1954 | Kazem Khalil | Abdallah Yafi |
| 16 | 30/04/1953 | 16/08/1953 | Rashid Baydoun | Saeb Salam |
| 15 | 20/09/1952 | 30/04/1953 | Selim Haidar | Khaled Chehab |
| 14 | 18/09/1952 | 30/09/1952 | Nazem Akkari | Fouad Chehab |
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement |
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| 13 | 09/09/1952 | 14/09/1952 | Bassil Trad | Nazem Akkari |
Did not submit the ministerial declaration to the Parlement |
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| 14/09/1952 | 18/09/1952 | Bassil Trad | Saeb Salam | |
| 12 | 11/02/1952 | 09/09/1952 | Majid Irslan | Sami Solh |
| 11 | 07/06/1951 | 11/02/1952 | Bahij Takieddine | Abdallah Yafi |
| 10 | 14/02/1951 | 07/06/1951 | Boulos Fayad | Hussein Ouwaini |
| 09 | 01/10/1949 | 14/02/1951 | Raiif Abillamah | Riad Solh |
| 08 | 26/07/1948 | 01/10/1949 | Elias Khoury | Riad Solh |
| 07 | 07/06/1947 | 26/07/1948 | Kamil Chamoun | Riad Solh |
| 06 | 14/12/1946 | 07/06/1947 | Elias Khoury | Riad Solh |
| 05 | 22/05/1946 | 14/12/1946 | Majid Irslan | Sa"di Mounla |
| 04 | 22/08/1945 | 22/05/1946 | Jamil Talhouk | Sami Solh |
| 03 | 09/01/1945 | 22/08/1945 | Ahmad Assaad | AbdelHamid Karameh |
| 02 | 03/07/1944 | 09/01/1945 | Majid Irslan | Riad Solh |
| 01 | 25/09/1943 | 02/07/1944 | Majid Irslan | Riad Solh |
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