Advancing an integrated NCD-humanitarian response for refugees and host communities in Lebanon 2021-2024

Objectives

Lebanon is passing through a protracted humanitarian crisis given the influx 1.5 million Syrian refugees over the past decade, which has put an enormous strain on all parts of society. Despite the growing burden, the non-communicable disease (NCD) area has been under-prioritised in the humanitarian response framework.

A new partnership between Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF), Danish Red Cross (DRC) and World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) will provide major investment into the health system in Lebanon, aiming to advance the nationwide response to the high burden of NCDs among Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese host communities.

Through the partnership, Red Cross (RC) will engage its extensive global experience from the humanitarian field and its strong national and local presence in Lebanon, while the WDF will catalyse its expertise within the area of diabetes and other NCDs in fragile contexts into a larger and wider collaborative framework, working directly with local partners, Ministry of Public Health and of American University of Beirut.

Approach

The new project supported by NNF will provide substantial support to the Lebanese health system through capacity building of up to 230 primary health care centres covering almost the entire country. The centres will receive medical equipment, and health care staff will be trained and given further resources towards monitoring and follow-up of patients with NCDs. Through these investments and activities, the centres will be more capable of screening for NCDs and of identifying people at risk. More than 100,000 people at risk are expected to be screened during the four-year project trajectory.

The project is also intended to promote implementation research around NCD prevention and treatment in humanitarian settings including through the close involvement of American University of Beirut, a leading academic institution in the Middle East region. The research will focus on accumulation of data and information, which can bring evidence to best practice and sustain an improved management of NCDs in Lebanon and beyond.

Expected results

230 primary care units strengthened
1,000 staff of different categories trained
430 Lebanon Red Cross staff and volunteers trained
100,000 people at risk of NCDs screened
70,000 people registered and provided with care
100,000 people reached through health promotion