Reported by the National News Agency

The Lebanese Geitaoui Hospital celebrated the establishment of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the hospital’s main lecture hall—Ely Salwan Auditorium—under the patronage and presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health in the caretaker government, Ghassan Hasbani, along with the Minister of State for Planning in the caretaker government, Michel Pharaon; MPs Mario Aoun and Hagop Terzian; Antoine Taameh, representing MP Nicolas Sehnaoui; Brigadier General George Rizk, representing Army Commander General Joseph Aoun; Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Lebanese University, Professor Pierre Yared, representing the university’s president, Professor Fouad Ayoub; Brigadier General Dr. Hassan Ayoub, representing the Director-General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Imad Othman; Brigadier General Dr. Ali Al-Sayed, representing the Director-General of General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim; Captain Rabih Fayyad, representing the Director-General of State Security, Major General Antoine Saliba; the wife of the Army Commander, Mrs. Naamat Joseph Aoun; Sister Marie Raymond Abi Habib, representing the Superior General of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Mother Marie Antoinette Saadeh; former Superior General Mother Gabriella Bou Moussa; President of the Syndicate of Hospital Owners, Suleiman Haroun; President of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon, Dr. Myrna Doumit; Bishop Youssef Beshara; Dean of the Faculty of Public Health at the Lebanese University, Professor Nina Saadallah Zeidan; and Dr. Ghassan Yared.

After the national anthem, the event’s master of ceremonies, the hospital’s medical director, Dr. Najy Abi Rached, delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of opening this center in service of patients and humanity.

Koussa

Professor Salam Koussa, head of the Multiple Sclerosis Center, then spoke, explaining that "multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms typically appear between the ages of 20 and 40, and treatment requires expensive medications that demand deep expertise in their use due to their side effects." He added that the center aims to contribute to scientific research on multiple sclerosis and related diseases, organize scientific meetings with other centers in Lebanon and abroad, hold regular medical conferences, and collaborate with state institutions to ensure patients receive appropriate care.

Abi Chebli

The hospital’s director, Sister Hadiya Abi Chebli, expressed gratitude for the support and trust of the hospital’s board of directors and the relentless efforts of the hospital team. She highlighted the hospital's transformation into a university hospital with specialized services in medical imaging, laboratory work, emergency care, and advanced surgical and medical specialties. She emphasized that the establishment of the Multiple Sclerosis Center aligns with the humanitarian mission of the Sisters of the Holy Family, much like the hospital’s burn unit founded in the 1990s. She extended special thanks to Professor Koussa for his dedication to patients and his initiative in creating this center.

She concluded by expressing appreciation to Minister Hasbani for raising the hospital’s financial ceiling and requested additional financial support to ensure comprehensive care for multiple sclerosis patients. She also announced that a new open-heart surgery department would be inaugurated in December of that year.

Yared

Professor Pierre Yared, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Lebanese University, recalled the hospital’s progress, especially since the inauguration of its new building in 2017. He emphasized that the hospital had fulfilled its promise of developing specialized centers (Centres d’excellence) to provide the best and most advanced treatments. He praised Professor Salam Koussa for his leadership in the Multiple Sclerosis Center, which would not only benefit patients but also help train future doctors from the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Medicine.

He expressed great pride in the hospital’s ability to bring together scientific, professional, and human resources to support patients from across Lebanon. He hoped for the establishment of more specialized centers in the future and thanked Minister Hasbani for his continuous support of the hospital and university.

Khairallah

Jean Khairallah, President of the Lebanese Multiple Sclerosis Association, welcomed the attendees and congratulated Geitaoui Hospital on its initiative to establish a center dedicated to the scientific and medical aspects of multiple sclerosis. She highlighted the association’s role over the past six years in covering medical tests, insurance gaps, treatments, hospitalizations, and physical and psychological therapy for patients. She called for continued collaboration with the Ministry of Health to provide comprehensive support for patients.

Hasbani

Minister Hasbani expressed his happiness to attend the event, noting that it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the congregation’s presence in Australia, where it has established successful institutions.

Reflecting on the hospital’s history since its foundation in 1927, he pointed out its pioneering role in various medical fields. The hospital introduced Lebanon’s first kidney dialysis machine, the first Total Body Scan in 1981, the first MRI in 1992, and the country’s first burn treatment center. In 2013, it became a university hospital in partnership with the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Medicine, training 80 medical residents and 40 fifth-year medical students annually.

Hasbani commended the hospital’s commitment to innovation and its efforts to expand and enhance its services. He acknowledged Lebanon’s strong and diverse healthcare sector, which has managed to overcome many challenges. He reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to supporting both public and private hospitals and working towards integrating public hospitals with university hospitals to improve healthcare access.

He concluded by congratulating the hospital on its progress and wished continued success.

After that, the hospital administration presented Minister Hasbani with an honorary shield in recognition of his contributions.