1. Protection (Child Protection / SGBV)
- With a refugee population scattered across 1,750 localities, working with communities is key to ensuring that the most vulnerable individuals are better protected against risk and victims have access to adequate services. One of the modalities to achieve this is through the establishment of community groups across Lebanon. In April, the sector has conducted a survey among 18 partners on existing practices in establishing and managing these groups. The survey results confirmed that these groups are playing a key role in supporting their own community to be aware of existing services, in liaising with service providers to ensure referral of individual cases, and in promoting participation in activities organized by various partners such as information sharing sessions, counseling sessions and recreational activities. Support to these groups lasts for a limited amount of time, usually up to 12 months. It is therefore important to put in place a phase out strategy to ensure that NGOs hand over to the community the responsibility to maintain the mobilization of its members. This is to ensure continuity of key activities such as service mapping and referrals after the support to the group has stopped. The sector will use the survey results to develop a Lebanon-specific guidance note for all partners and toolkit on best practices to support community groups.
Persons with disabilities feel isolated and may be exposed to increased protection risks. This has been confirmed through participatory assessments conducted by MOSA and sector partnerswith more than 1,300 Syrian refugees and refugees from other countries. Protection partners specialized in assistance to persons with disabilities will conduct capacity building activities to ensure that protection actors design inclusive programs and have the required skills to remove physical and communication barriers and refer those in need to specialized services.
2. Health
MOPH/ WHO announced that between January and March 2016 a total of 148,062 patients (90.6% Lebanese, 8.6 % Syrian refugees and 0.8% other) received chronic medications through the MoPH program operated by YMCA and supported by WHO.
In response to a rumor circulating among refugees that children became sick due to vaccination, a communication leaflet was jointly prepared by WHO, UNICEF, and MoPH, to be shared with refugees providing clarification as to the entities having the legitimacy to provide vaccination. Attention is also drawn on identifying the badges of the vaccinating entity (MOPH/Beyond).
April 20th marked the Lebanon switch date from trivalent oral polio vaccine (t-OPV) to bivalent oral polio vaccine (b-OPV). The switch date was followed by monitoring visits to PHCs to make sure that ALL t-OPV vials have been removed from the vaccine cold chain and as such will not be used.
In celebration of the World Immunization Week (April 25 to April 30), MoPH in coordination with UNICEF and WHO organized different activities aiming to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against vaccine preventable diseases.
In line with the Mental Health and Substance Use Strategy (Lebanon 2015-2020), MoPH in collaboration with WHO, conducted two two-day training of trainers (TOT) workshops on Psychological First Aid (PFA). A total of 45 participants from the MOPH, UN agencies, and NGOs, with background in psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing, have attended the training which aimed at enhancing their capacities in delivering PFA trainings to non-mental health front-liners. PFA involves humane, supportive and practical assistance for people who are distressed, in ways that respect their dignity, culture and abilities.