While refunds of the sickness-maternity and family allowances sections have been suspended since 2007, the syndicate of hospital owners and the General Labor Confederation of Lebanon (CGTL) confirmed on February 19 that finding a solution is a must. Therefore, hospitals proposed to the Ministry of Finance to pay directly to hospitals the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) slips already controlled. This is believed to be a provisional procedure awaiting that “trusts is restored” between the State and the CNSS (that is related to the Ministry of Labor; the Minister of Labor Mr. Trad Hamadé, pro Hizbullah resigned: the interim of this department is at the moment taken in charge by the Ministry of Interior Hassan Sabeh). At the moment, the budgets of these two branches have a LBP 310 billion gap. Before July’s war, the state had initiated what was then called the beginning of a reform, which includes the replacement of the 26 members of the Board of Directors of the CNSS. Six new members have been chosen with Dr. Tobie Zakhia as President of the CNSS. However, the reform which had caused important political tensions has stopped.

In an interview with L’Orient le Jour on February 19, the President of the CNSS, Dr. Tobie Zakhia declared that the crisis is about to be settled down and that refunds could start as of next week. He stated that the Ministry of Finance is willing to pay but requires in return an audit of CNSS accounts between 2000 and 2005. This audit started in the spring but was suspended due to internal tensions, but Dr. Zakhia confirmed that it was in process at the moment.