Lead:
Lebanon's Internal Security Forces directorate issued modifications to medical examination protocols for male candidates volunteering for the rank of probationary officer, effective immediately. The announcement adds tuberculosis, thyroid, and hepatitis C screening to the previous list, and replaces an earlier hepatitis B test specification with a revised formulation. Candidates must undergo these tests at the Internal Security Forces institute in Armoun before proceeding to sports assessments and volunteer committee interviews.
Details:
According to Al-Adiyar, the Directorate General of Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division released the statement on Saturday, following an earlier announcement dated October 22, 2026, which had set examination dates and locations for male volunteer candidates. The modification came after initial medical requirements had been established for the recruitment process. The additions to the screening panel—tuberculosis (PPD test), thyroid function (TSH), and hepatitis C (HCV)—represent an expansion of health verification procedures for new personnel entering the force. The directorate simultaneously clarified that an earlier reference to hepatitis B (HBV) testing would be replaced by an updated formulation of the same examination, though the specific revised protocol was not detailed in the official statement. The announcement specified no timeline for implementation beyond the immediate effect, nor did it provide justification for the screening modifications. No information was disclosed regarding whether candidates already scheduled for testing would be required to undergo the additional screenings, or whether the changes would delay the recruitment process.
Watch For:
When the directorate publishes the full revised medical examination standards and confirms whether existing volunteer candidates must comply with the new screening requirements before proceeding. Whether other Lebanese security or military institutions adopt similar medical examination expansions in their own recruitment protocols. Clarification from the Internal Security Forces on the epidemiological or institutional rationale for adding tuberculosis and hepatitis C to the screening panel.