Mobile Health Clinic in the South of Lebanon

"The IDEALS mobile health clinic is the best service we receive because they keep coming back when other organisations disappear, they treat us with respect and understand our needs and the battles we fight every day. They provide free medicines that we simply cannot afford to buy" - Ghada, a Syrian refugee at Dandachli shelter, Saida, south Lebanon.

About IDEALS - We are a charity registered in the UK, working to relieve poverty, distress and suffering globally. We have huge experience providing essential, life-saving health services in humanitarian crises in the Balkans, SE Asia and the Middle East. We have no office costs, overheads or paid staff, so every penny donated is transferred to our projects directly.

Background to the Refugee Crisis in Lebanon - Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, 1.5 million refugees have fled into Lebanon from Syria. 91,000 have settled in south Lebanon; a region that already suffers from chronic underdevelopment in multiple sectors, including education and health. All these new refugees live in the most deplorable social, economic and environmental conditions. Some live within already overcrowded and under-resourced Palestinian refugee camps, but most live in tents or disused/unfinished buildings with no basic amenities. Women and young children are always the most vulnerable members of displaced communities and comprise over 70% of the Syrian refugee population. Chronic political instability and corruption in Lebanon have simply exacerbated the situation.

Current Problems - Over the past 20 months the countrys worst ever economic crisis, with local currency devalued by 90% and food prices increased sixfold, the devastating Beirut blast, COVID-19 pandemic and more recent cholera outbreak have resulted in a rapid and frightening escalation in the level of need within refugee and Lebanese communities; rising unemployment and poverty levels, rising levels of food insecurity and malnutrition (particularly affecting young children and pregnant/breastfeeding women), an exponential rise in mental health problems, and extremely worrying increases in reports of gender-based violence and child protection concerns. The international humanitarian response has never been able to meet the daunting level of need triggered by the Syrian refugee crisis, and budgets and services have been cut drastically over the past year. The devastating earthquakes that hit southern Turkey and north-west Syria on 6th February 2023 killed over 42,000 people and affected millions more; given the difficulties delivering and distributing humanitarian aid within Syria large numbers may be forced to flee into Lebanon to access any form of support.

Our Mobile Health Clinic Project - IDEALS has been working with our local partner organisation, Blue Mission, providing life-saving support for 25,000 Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees and poor Lebanese families in south Lebanon since 2017. We provide essential primary health care, maternal and mental health services. All these services are provided free of charge and our team of doctors, nurse, midwife, psychologists and social workers travel to each settlement in a dedicated vehicle, maximising access to these vital services and avoiding any transport costs for beneficiaries. It costs £11,000 per month to provide such critical health support for 25,000 people in need; exceptional value for money, particularly in such a challenging environment.

£10 - provides vital health care and psychosocial support for 5 children for a month

£20 - provides essential lifesaving drugs for 40 patients

£50 - enables our midwife to provide critical care for 15 pregnant and breastfeeding women