BEIRUT, 7 Sept 2022 – UNICEF and the Lebanese Red Cross renewed their collaboration agreement to bridge children’s immunity gap by identifying and vaccinating more than 150,000 missed children at community level and delivering comprehensive health and nutrition services.
“Vaccines are the world’s safest method to protect children from life-threatening diseases and our partnership with LRC is to make sure no child is left without their essential routine vaccination, regardless of where they are,” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Three years of devastating crisis in Lebanon have affected the national immunization coverage. We need immunization to catch-up the missing children or we will inevitably witness more outbreaks, more sick children and greater pressure on already strained health systems.”
“As part of its response to the crisis in Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, through its extensive network all across Lebanon, is working with UNICEF and the Ministry of Public Health to provide free vaccination to children,” Said Georges Kettaneh, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Red Cross.
The UNICEF partnership with LRC aims to reach and vaccinate 150,000 missed children and adolescents. This partnership will support the ministry of public health (MoPH) in strengthening the immunization program and ensure that missed children are linked back to the vaccination programme. The vaccination services being provided by Lebanese Red Cross will complement the essential routine vaccines being provided in more than 800 public primary healthcare facilities in Lebanon reaching all children regardless of their nationality. However, a main persisting challenge has been the complete and timely vaccination of children.
UNICEF collaborates with MoPH on ensuring the provision of routine immunization vaccines to all children living in Lebanon. In addition, UNICEF supports in maintaining strong supply chain and cold chain system, trained health workers, data systems, community engagement and health awareness.
About UNICEF
Working in Lebanon for over 70 years, UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
For more information about UNICEF Lebanon and our work for children, visit www.unicef.org/lebanon/
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