Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The overall goal of the Programme is to meet urgent needs of people affected by the explosions and to strengthen the capacity of Lebanon's essential services to deal with the effects of multiple crises.

Expected results

The Programme aims to achieve the following results:

- Hospitals and emergency medical services (EMS) supported

- Resilience of public health- and water systems ensured

- Missing persons accounted for through ICRC/LRC mechanisms (Restoring Family Links – RFL)

- Basic needs of 10,000 households met through provision of essential items

- Cash assistance provided to 2,000 most vulnerable households

With the Austrian contribution of EUR 900,000 Mio, the ICRC can achieve the following results:

• Hospitals and emergency medical services strengthened: The funds can cover part of the ICRC’s medical supplies for 13 hospitals in and around Beirut which have been affected by the blast. This also includes dressing kits to EMS providers and mobility devices.

• Resilience of public health- and water systems ensured: The ICRC will work with local authorities to restore and rehabilitate water-supply systems in Achrafieh district, which was most severely affected by the blast. The system provides water for an estimated 120.000 residents and six hospitals in close proximity to the blast (St. George’s Hospital and Geitaoui Hospital amongst others).

Target group / Beneficiaries

Target group of the Austrian Contribution: 120.000 people and 13 hospitals / health facilities:

- Support to 13 Hospitals (partly) with medical supplies based on needs and evolving Situation;

- Support to 120,000 People and 6 hospitals under Health- and Water System Resilience; through the contribution, the ICRC can cover the works on the public water supply system. This will ensure the water supply of both residents and the hospitals in the respective part of town. The water supply to these health facilities is absolutely crucial, as it forms the basis for all hygienic measures required in an operative hospital, especially in view of the increasing COVID-19 figures in Beirut.

The ICRC works closely with the Lebanese Red Cross. The Programme activities will be implemented in key geographic areas in Beirut.

Activities

The ICRC plans to undertake the following activities under the contribution:

- Coordinate with hospitals on medical needs and support

- Provide medical equipment and supplies such as syringes, medicines, disinfectants, surgery kits, etc. to hospitals;

- Coordinate with local authorities and other humanitarian actors (where necessary) on repair and rehabilitation needs,

- Conduct detailed needs and damage assessment to water system (underway)

- Implement necessary infrastructure-rehabilitation measures to ensure water supply.

Context

On August 4th 2020, at 6 p.m. local time, the Beirut port area was shaken by a series of destructive explosions and subsequent shockwaves, the effects of which were visible as far as 20km away. The immediate area 2km around the blast site was devastated, 168 people lost their lives and over 7,000 were left injured, while an additional 300.000 have lost their homes (WHO update, 12.08.2020).

Health facilities in Beirut and the surrounding areas are still overcrowded, several hospitals were seriously damaged by the explosion. Additionally, four large grain silos at the port were destroyed, reducing the grain reserves currently in the country to an alarming degree. This all on the background of an economic and socio-political crisis that has also seen a staggering rise in COVID-19 cases.

Initial analyses indicate that interrupted access to essential health services and supplies of medicines will remain critical. It is therefore essential to ensure and maintain access to basic healthcare as well as to support the rehabilitation of emergency medical services, blood bank services and resources as well as provide crucial socio-economic support to the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their homes.