It is internationally recognized that primary health care aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health with affordable costs while focusing on people’s needs and preferences.
During the past two years, times of Covid 19 and economic crisis in Lebanon, Primary health care centers played a fundamental and pivotal role in responding to diverse health situations and needs. They helped to ease the burdens placed on the Lebanese public and private hospitals.
The major primary health care centers in the country ensure that people receive comprehensive care, with different services ranging from counseling and prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
Order of Malta Lebanon: A Leader in Primary Healthcare
The Order of Malta, with 60 years mission at the service of dignity for the most vulnerable in Lebanon, is one of the major primary health care providers in the country.
The Order of Malta Lebanon works in close cooperation with various key actors of the health sector, their activities fall within the framework of the national strategic health program and are part of the health policies established by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Public Health.
In 1957, the Order’s first Community Health Center was inaugurated in Zouk by former President of the Lebanese Republic Camille Chamoun. Today, they have expanded their scope of action and reach through eleven community health care centers distributed across the various Lebanese governorates.
The Community Health Center, Chiyah – Ain El Remmaneh
While the health sector is collapsing in Lebanon, the Order of Malta keeps working to provide health for everyone, helping people, and giving the best quality in service.
A year ago, they undertook the mission of renovating one of their main centers, located in Chiyah – Ain el Remmaneh, known as “St John Baptist,” community health center. Built in 1989, with 33 years of commitment to the community the center is known for its excellence in their services, and respect for the dignity of all patients where everyone is welcome, regardless of race, color and religion.
While the renovation process took place in only one year, the provided services never stopped. In the old center, the center received around 80 patients a day. In the middle of the crisis and during the restauration works, the team was relocated to the nearby church while they received up to 300 patients a day.
The Center offers all medical specialties free of charge or at a symbolic fee like general medicine, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, orthopedics, nephrology, urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, dermatology, ENT, nutrition.
In addition, the center includes the central drugstore warehouse through which medicines are distributed to the Order’s various centers.
The Opening Event
The inauguration ceremony of the Community Health Center was held on the 1st of April 2022. The event began with key figures’ speeches followed by the center’s blessing. Subsequently, a common prayer was offered by Father Khalil Rahme, Sheikh Sami Abdelkhalek, and Apostolic Nuncio Spiteri, all religious denominations. That being said, deputies from the German Parliament, representatives of The Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Lebanese Minister of Public Health, as well as key religious and social figures of Beirut, Chiyah and Ain El Remmaneh area were present during the ceremony.
“Today, we celebrate Lebanon the Message, Lebanon the Love, Lebanon the Tolerance, Lebanon the Brotherhood and Human Dignity…” Said Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, the president of the Lebanese association of the knights of Malta, during his speech, followed by the discourse of Carsten Körber, member of the German Bundestag, who emphasized on the importance of the location of the community health center Chiyah – Ain El Remeneh and on how impressive the renovation work is. He also highlighted the reliable role The Order of Malta is playing in Lebanon. The German deputy was touched during his visit to Lebanon by the huge activity and support these health centers are offering to the Lebanese communication.
Dr Firas Abiad, Lebanese minister of public health also had a word during the event. He pointed out the fact that the dream of the ministry of public health was to build a system based on primary and comprehensive health care just like the developed countries since people are in need during this hard situation in Lebanon, as well he thanked the financial support of the German government and praised the work Order of Malta has been doing in the sector of health.
At the end, the guests, officials, and religious visited the renovated center, then gathered around a refreshing cocktail.
List of attendees:
His Excellency Dr Firas Abiad, Minister of Public Health
His Excellency Monsignor Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio
The German delegation is formed of:
Mr. Carsten Körber, member of the German Parliament
Mr. Paul Ziemiak, member of the German Parliament
Mr. Rüdiger Kruse, ex-member of the German Parliament
His Excellency the Prince Erich von Lobkowicz, President of the German Association of Order of Malta
Mr. Clemens von Mirbach-Harff, General Secretary of Malteser International
Mr. Frank Schira, the representative of the Order of Malta in Germany
In addition to:
The General Georges Youssef, representing the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army
His Excellency Monsignor Paul Abdelsater, Maronite Archbishop of Beirut
Fadilat el Kadi Sheikh Mahdi Yahfoufi, representing The Chia Islamic Supreme Council
His Excellency Monsignor Georges Bacouni, Greek Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Beirut
His Eminence Sheikh Imad Kanawati, the representantive of Dar el Fatwa
His Eminence Sheikh Sami Abdelkhalek, representing the Druze Community
His Eminence Sheikh Hassane Halawi, representing the foundation Abou Hassan Aref Halawi
The Reverend Father Roger Kouyoumji, representing Monsignor César Essayan, Apostolic Vicar of the Latins of Beirut
The Reverend Father Nicarios Khairallah, representing Monsignor Elias Audeh, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut
Al Kassis Habib Badr, representing the Protestant community of Lebanon
Mr. Yiannis Neophytou, representing the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Mr. Edmond Gharios, Head of the Municipality of Chiyah
Mr. Nijad Charafeddine, representing the Imam Sadr Foundation
Mr. Michael Bauer, representing the Konrad Adenauer Foundation