SUPPORTING MASS-VACCINATION IN LEBANON

Facing a renewed COVID crisis in June, with over 600,000 confirmed cumulative cases and heavily strained health facilities, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health called upon NGOs to support the immunisation of its people, including the hundreds of thousands of refugees hosted by the country who represent 25% of the population.

Our partner Medair has been active in Lebanon since 2012. With Cartier Philanthropy’s funding, the organisation provided key emergency assistance in the wake of Beirut’s massive port explosion in August 2020. We are now supporting them with further emergency funds to take charge of one of the country’s 5 mass vaccination centres, located in Saida, in South Lebanon, where registration for the COVID-19 vaccination has been particularly low. They aim to deliver and administer vaccinations to around 90,000 people while ensuring the centre is properly equipped and run safely and efficiently.

Medair will also support 5 health clinics in the Bekaa area, including through the provision of personal protective equipment for staff, the training of Community Health Volunteers in COVID-19 triage and a referral and vaccine awareness campaign. 

With the profound mental health impacts of the spread of the pandemic, shortages of basic items such as medicine and fuel, soaring poverty and an economic crisis that the World Bank calls one of the worst the world has seen since the 1850s, Medair will provide essential mental health support for health workers and first responders in particular, ensuring continuity of mental health care for mental health service clients.