S UPP ORTIN G L EBA N ON ’S N A TION A L T UBERC ULOS I S PRO GRA MM E IN TH E C ON TEX T OF THE S YRIA C RIS IS 20 JANUARY 2014 On 15 January 2014 IOM donated nine microscopes, refrigerators, examination tables and other essential medical equipment to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). This assistance was provided as a part of the Japanese-funded project to support the country’s National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP). The influx of nearly a million displaced persons from Syria to Lebanon has significantly increased the risk of communicable disease epidemics, while also placing great pressure on Lebanese health systems. The spread of tuberculosis (TB) is a particular concern, given the crowded living conditions among refugees, the treatment interruption for TB patients fleeing Syria and the fact that TB services both in Lebanon and broader in the region are significantly overstretched. “TB is a major problem in the current context,” said Dr. Kaisa Kontunen, IOM’s Health Coordinator, “and could lead to a region-wide epidemic if unaddressed.” IOM commended the Ministry of Public Health’s efforts to address the threat of TB by including Syrian refugees in its National TB Programme, despite the challenges posed by the situation. One important issue when TB control in Lebanon is concerned – as identified by IOM’s assessments in 2013 – is the provision of TB services in remote areas and among mobile populations. Weakened or disrupted services for these communities can complicate diagnosis and treatment of TB, potentially leading to an increase in multidrug-resistant TB, which is difficult and expensive to treat. This material support for the NTP and its TB centers across the country will help address these gaps, assist them in early and proper diagnosis of TB and better equip the centers in carrying out their core responsibilities. Above: IOM and MoPH staff at the handover ceremony at IOM’s office in Beirut. The manager of the NTP, Dr. Hiyam Yacoub, thanked IOM and the Government of Japan for their support for the programme, adding that a great deal remained to be done in order to ensure the access to TB services for both Syrian refugees and Lebanese communities. IOM’s Chief of Mission, Fawzi Al-Zioud, voiced his support for this “great example of cooperation between the Government and IOM to address needs identified by both parties, in coordination with UNHCR and WHO.” For further information contact: Kaisa Kontunen I [email protected] I www.iom.int
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