FEB/MAR 2020 UPDATE ON LEBANON MEDICAL LIFE CENTERS
COVID-19
We just returned from a training and review trip to Lebanon in cooperation with our ministry partner RCB and our Medical Life Centers. Things have changed dramatically in the weeks since we returned. While our team was there, we could see every day the COVID-19 crisis escalating just in Lebanon, but we wouldn’t feel the full effects of it until a few days after we left. Having just come back from Lebanon and Haiti, I thought – America is finally experiencing what the Majority World experiences – a survivalist mentality, the idea that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, that even the basics of life may not be there and our healthcare system may not be sufficient or our jobs that were so secure yesterday are suddenly precarious the next. John 14:27, Psalms 23:4 and Philippians 4:7.
LEBANON TRAINING TRIP/MEDICAL LIFE CENTERS
Lebanon has been going through an increasingly stressful time since the Syrian War crisis in 2011, but things have escalated with a growing financial crisis that led to rioting in October 2019. The spark that lit that flame interestingly was a tax attempted on Whatsapp usage, which is as popular as air and water in Lebanon.
Lebanon is the 3rd most indebted country per capita in the world. Lebanon’s financial system started unraveling in the past year and has led to banks limiting US dollar withdrawals from the banks to sometimes $50 for every 2 weeks. The local currency effectively has been devalued dramatically. The banks have started limiting access to savings accounts which have caused additional panic.
While we were there, everyone was stressing about this crisis and how it has effected everyone. Many were talking about fleeing the country. Others were saying their whole life savings will be gone within months or they cannot access them. The stress and anxiety were extremely high among both Lebanese and especially the refugee families who already had so little. And the fear of the COVID-19 crisis was growing day by day.
MENTAL HEALTH/TRAUMA TRAININGS
Figure 1: Dr Pierre in session for community leaders
Mental health topics have been taboo culturally to discuss, but our partners were eager to have a training for community leaders. Dr Pierre, our long-time veteran, and Dr Rachel, a first time team member, gave a series of trainings on dealing with war trauma, mental illness and other mental health issues to a variety of pastors, leaders, teachers, and others throughout the week. The audience included Lebanese, ex-pats, Syrian, Kurdish and Iraqi community leaders with more than 110 people attending our sessions. We addressed core issues that the war and refugee crisis have brought on such trauma, anxiety, and stress in addition to other issues such as abuse. Our team did a great job and were very well received. They would like more future sessions and more time for each topic.
MEDICAL LIFE CENTERS
As we spent time at our Medical Life Centers, it was clear how much they were valued by the community and how they are fulfilling a serious need. One of our doctors that works shifts for 4 hospitals has said that hospitals are closing major sections because no one has money for treatment. They are coming in ‘just to die’. In fact, she said that she has worked for 2 years at a public hospital and has only been paid for 2 months. Nevertheless, she feels a patriotic duty to keep serving and she greatly appreciates the mission of our Lebanon Medical Life Centers and hopes to see it expand its mission. Our patients have emphasized how increasingly important our Medical Life Centers have been to give them access to healthcare services that they normally couldn't afford. We not only have very low initial fees, but we subsidize pharmacy and lab costs for our patients. We also provide emergency and hospitalization help where we can. Even the poorer Lebanese have started coming to our LCs.
NORTH LIFE CENTER
In the North, we spent months looking for an Ob/Gyn who was able to work at the Center, but there’s a lack of professionals and resources in the North. Thankfully, we found someone from another town who commutes an hour to the LC. When the October Revolution was happening and there were many road blocks, our ministry partner personally drove down to her town and brought her back and forth navigating past the road blocks.
When we were there, the waiting room was packed and she ultimately saw 25 patients that day. We had purchased a sonogram and this has been extremely helpful in what services we can provide. The 2 days we were there, the LC was extremely busy with many patients. We have had 1,303 patient visits up to end of January.
Figure 2: Ob/Gyn with patient
Our main pharmacy/laboratory partner had been so impressed by our mission to subsidize the care of our patients, that he said if we would provide 30% of the cost, they would subsidize 70%, effectively giving free pharmacy and labs for our patients. We met with the owner who really feels like partners with us in our mission to the refugee and the poor.
BEIRUT LIFE CENTER
Our Beirut Life Center has also grown. We now have 4 physicians that rotate through the LC. Similarly, the numbers of people have been growing and we now have had 1,156 patient visits up to the beginning of March.
Figure 3: Triage and Intake
The Life Center also provides for home visits and social workers to work with families who need longer term care, have special needs or are bed ridden.
We are looking into purchasing a sonogram with 4 probes for about $14,000. One of our self-sustainability ideas is to offer radiology services here to generate income while also offering subsidized services for the refugees.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
As of this writing, other medical dispensaries have been closing, but the Beirut Life Center is operating and assisting with the crisis. Our ministry partner, RCB, provides monthly food vouchers and relief pack distributions and these were done from the Life Center recently. Hand sanitizers and bleach are being distributed.
Figure 4: Food and Relief Distribution from the Life Center
Figure 5: Taking temperatures
Thank you for your continued support!
