Syria Crisis - Primary Health Care in Lebanon - Development and Peace 2015

March 2015 - The humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate as a result of the civil war and intensified violence in the country. The United Nations estimates that 12.2 million people inside Syria including 5.6 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. Combined with 3.8 million Syrians seeking refuge from the conflict in neighbouring countries this is the largest number of people displaced from conflict in the world. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the conflict and host countries are increasingly overstretched by the influx of people fleeing the conflict. With DFATD's support Development and Peace is helping to prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases manage acute and chronic diseases and promote mother and child health among 15 000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees and 6 500 Lebanese host and vulnerable families. Project activities include: (1) providing primary and secondary health care services to 30 000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees and vulnerable host community members through two mobile clinics and six health care centres; (2) conducting awareness sessions on maternal and child health that will benefit 1 300 Syrian and Iraqi women; (3) distributing oral hygiene kits to 5 000 children; (4) providing psychosocial support for 1 200 women and children; and (5) training 40 staff in health centres on health and technical topics in an emergency context.

The expected outcomes for this project are: (1) increased access to quality primary and secondary health care services for Syrian and Iraqi refugees and host communities; (2) increased health care knowledge and health-seeking behaviour among conflict-affected people especially children; (3) enhanced post-trauma healing process for Iraqi and Syrian refugees; and (4) strengthened local capacity of health staff to deliver sustainable services in Lebanon. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.