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The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received today at the Baabda Palace the Minister of Public Health Hamad Hassan, who thanked President Aoun for granting the Ministry permission to negotiate with Pfizer to secure its own vaccine against the Corona epidemic, and provide you with the necessary addresses to conclude the agreement with the aforementioned company. for this purpose.
Minister Hassan indicated during the meeting, which was attended by the adviser to the President of the Republic, former Minister Salim Jreissati, the adviser for medical affairs to President Aoun, Dr. Walid Khoury, and the director general of the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, a committee has been formed to ensure effective and fair access of the vaccine to approved vaccination centers. “There will be transparency and security, military and social support to really achieve the objectives for which we sacrifice in this difficult time.”
advantage
After the meeting, Minister Hassan made the following statement to journalists: “It is one of the supervisory, responsible and wise stations that we achieved today, under the direction and support of His Excellency the President of the Republic, through permission to negotiate with the company, “Pfizer” directly, to achieve the vaccine as quickly as possible and at the same time secure all financial and material funds. Also finalize the deal later as soon as possible. Despite all the challenges and interpretations, and despite everything that is being marketed in the media against the vaccine, against the government or against the pact, we say that what we achieve today is a response with actions and not words, because the health authority, with the support of His Excellency the President of the Republic, and the Prime Minister, has made the decision. It is appropriate to cover the Lebanese community with the only Pfizer vaccine available so far, which has received all the exceptions and approvals from international medical organizations.
And he added: “The government adopted this decision, despite the dark and difficult conditions in which we live, with the aim of achieving social immunity, starting in mid-February, God willing, and we know all the economic challenges, life and social, and we know that the life and economic cycle cannot flourish without We assure you in health. From here, the most important positive responsibility being met today is through the provision of this vaccine. As we promised, the Lebanese state will secure it fairly and free of charge for classes and target groups in accordance with international medical standards, with Lebanese privacy. Everything that arises in social networks should not interest me as a civil society, because in Lebanon it is known that the policy of “knowing the contradictions” is known, and we must never lose the objective of all this effort and support for His Excellency the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of the Ministry of Health to protect people in these difficult circumstances.
He continued: “Today we obtained the permission of His Excellency the President to negotiate the conclusion of the contract, and then we will take the comments of the Legislation and Consultation Commission on the possibility of introducing some amendments to the contract with Pfizer and concluding it as soon as necessary. Today, at the Ministry of Public Health, we have the National Center for “PharmaCo Surveillance” to record the possibility of any limited lateral complication that occurs in some countries. I would like to point out that the adoption of the vaccine in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and some Arab countries gives more security to society and not the other way around. I would like to assure society that what the State does should not always be questionable. Rather, this step that we are taking today must be trusted by what the State is doing towards civil society, and everything is based on reliable scientific data and not on the result of some misinformation. What a question, sadly. What we do in these current circumstances is exceptionally forbidden for us to whip ourselves, and let citizens complain, as we must move forward positively and with confidence and security to build on it.
In response to a question, the Minister of Health explained: “The amount seized by” Pfizer “is 15% of the number of residents on Lebanese soil, or about two million doses covering one million citizens. We have previously signed a contract with the “Kovacs” platform to cover 20% of the Lebanese community, and we are talking about 2,800,000 vaccines. Therefore, with those who have secured community immunity so far, gradually, those who are infected and those who have acquired immunity, we are facing 15 to 17% and we may reach 20% next spring, for what we will be in a total of 50 and 60% of the Lebanese community if the Pfizer vaccine is secured. And “Kovacs” later, with the accumulated number of infections that achieved community immunity, and we reached 50-60%. This is good and guarantees the protection of society, to restore economic acceleration and the normal life cycle, thus we will advance our country and our society. “
Regarding the proposed modifications to the contract, Minister Hassan indicated: “What is required is a two-point modification, since the contract is generalized and all countries abide by it. As for us, we have two observations: some countries have a law to protect companies that are licensed to use the vaccine in an emergency, and this is not available in Lebanon, so I need, as Minister of Public Health , protect and support His Excellency the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, in the absence of an authentic government, and this is what I have done today. As for the second point, it is that in case of emergency, there could be some arbitration clauses. To guarantee the right of the company and the right of the Lebanese citizen, the Lebanese government, through the Ministry of Health, takes the power to be a guarantee for all parties.
Asked if we would go back to closing again after the holidays, she replied: “This is a question that is being asked in the media, and if we go back, we find that there are many complications and difficulties without it. Who makes this decision and its indicator is the behavior of society. We hope that our society is interested in the balance between health and the economy, and in the fusion of the two, so that it is interested in life as it is in health.
He was asked about the new Corona strain in Lebanon, noting that “the data so far is from research centers, British or not, and confirms that the ‘Pfizer’ vaccine covers this emerging emergence, which means we are not in The framework of inspecting a second vaccine, in addition to So far, no more complications have been proven than we know. Today we had a question in the scientific committee in the morning if the rapid spread of the recently recorded cases has a relation to the new wave, because it was found that this wave started from September 13, not only in Britain, but in All Europe. We are obliged to comply with the preventive protection measures of the epidemic, which are capable of repelling the basic Corona pandemic and any new wave of it. “
Regarding how to distribute the first batch of vaccines, Minister Hassan explained: “The National Committee for the Administration of the Corona Vaccine was formed – a special ‘Pfizer’, headed by Dr. Abdel-Rahman El-Bizri and the membership of all unions, societies and medical references, the advisor to His Excellency the President of the Republic and the advisor to the Prime Minister. We aspire, through this committee, to put in place a mechanism that ensures that the vaccine reaches approved vaccination centers in an equitable manner, so that the poor, the needy and the rich can obtain it for free. Therefore, we highlight the equity in the distribution and the guarantee of the quality and efficacy of the vaccine, which are among the criteria and basic plans established by the technical committee. I assure all Lebanese that there will be transparency and security, military and social support to truly achieve the goals for which we sacrifice at this difficult time.
Greeting cables
In addition, the President of the Republic received several greeting cards from various heads of state on the occasion of Christmas and New Year, in particular from the Syrian President, Dr. Bashar Al-Assad, and from the President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Ivana Hardlikova.
President Aoun also received a series of congratulatory telegrams, especially from the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who hoped that “the people of today, especially the followers of the heavenly religions, may follow the path of transcendence and perfection. drawing inspiration from the sublime teachings of God’s prophets and adhering to their approach, “expressing hope that” leaders will contribute Countries, in light of their determination and joint efforts, must work harder to emerge from crises. ” .
The Patriarch of Antioch and the rest of the East congratulated the Melkite Roman Catholics and said in his telegram: “I loved repeating your glory and joining my prayers to your prayers and to the prayer of the whole Church for Emmanuel to change the face of the world and transform humanity, making all people one family ”.
Source: National Information Agency
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