October 29, 2026
The first Lebanese woman, Mrs. Neamat Aoun, confirmed that the pharmaceutical industry in Lebanon now matches international quality, stressing the Covenant’s support for national industries and launching their capabilities in local and foreign markets. She appealed to investors and lovers of Lebanon to invest in it and open new fields of work, calling on Lebanese youth to discover the available opportunities and benefit from their educational attainment to achieve their ambitions within their country.
This came during a field tour conducted by Aoun this afternoon, which included the “Pharmaline” factories in Nahr Ibrahim and the “Alpha” serum factories in Suhaila, with the aim of examining the reality of the pharmaceutical industry sector, the stages of manufacturing, and the role of local laboratories in meeting the needs of the health community. She praised the steadfastness of industrialists and their faith in their country by providing job opportunities for young people despite the current challenges.
The tour began at the “Pharmaline” factory in Nahr Ibrahim, where the first Lebanese woman was received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the MALIA Group, Consul Jacques Sarraf, his wife Carol (the president of the Syndicate of Pharmaceutical Factories in Lebanon and the head of the factory), Dr. Carol Abi Karam, the servant of the Our Lady of Amchit parish, Father Charbel El Khoury, in addition to the mayors of the two municipalities of Nahr Ibrahim, Charbel Abi Raad and Halat Jad Bassil, and a number of officials and employees. Dr. Abi Karam provided a detailed explanation of the types of medicines produced by the factory and being marketed locally, Arably and Europeanly.
During her tour of the factory departments and her acquaintance with the latest machines, Aoun reiterated her emphasis on supporting the national industry and its ability to compete with international quality, stressing the importance of reducing the cost of local production to make medicines accessible to citizens at acceptable prices and expanding the segment of their beneficiaries. She expressed her hope to enhance cooperation with foreign companies through agreements concluded by the Ministry of Health and pharmaceutical laboratories to exchange experiences. At the conclusion of the visit, Aoun received an icon of the Virgin presented by Consul Sarraf and his wife after being blessed by Father Charbel El-Khoury, and a cedar tree was planted in the factory’s outer courtyard.
The first Lebanese woman then moved to the Alpha Laboratories factory in Sohaila, where she was received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Manager, Nazih Tabet, Deputy General Manager Andre Bouchkhanji, and Quality Director, Dr. Janine Sawaya. Aoun toured the laboratory departments and was informed of the progress of the production of serums and medical supplies, meeting with a number of doctors, young people and workers to hear about their working conditions.
At the conclusion of the tour, Aoun stressed the right of every Lebanese citizen to obtain high-quality medicine with international specifications and acceptable prices, stressing that what she saw proves that Lebanon possesses all the components and only has a clear strategy to support this vital sector. She called on the Lebanese to trust local production, which has attracted the interest of major foreign factories.
