News

The Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (LAKM) / Order of Malta Lebanon is releasing a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the following:

– Consultant for the Integration of Mental Health Referral Services for the Mobile Medical Units’ Patients

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for a qualified consultant for the integration of mental health referral services for the mobile medical units’ patients.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

– Service Provider – Medical Equipment Providers

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for qualified medical equipment providers.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

– Automotive Dealerships

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for qualified automotive dealers.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

– Contracting Companies

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for qualified contracting companies for the rehabilitation project of 9 primary healthcare centers located in different areas in Lebanon.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

– Architectural & Engineering Consultancy

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for qualified architectural and engineering consultants to provide the services.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

In its efforts to fight food insecurity in Lebanon, especially during the worst crises the country is witnessing, be they financial, economic and political, the Order of Malta Lebanon is proud to partner with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation in its agro humanitarian project that is currently being rolled out.

As the world continues to be engulfed by the woes of the Covid-19, added burden of political instability, devaluation of local currency and the August 4, 2020 explosion of Beirut Port has worsened the socio-economic condition in Lebanon and raised concerns over food security. These waves of crises have been worse felt by the most vulnerable population, pushed to live below the poverty line and whose access to food has now plummeted. Since obctober 2019, food prices have risen by an average of 220% (MOET 2021). Lebanon is a food import dependent country. It imports 85% of its food (WB, 2020), with agriculture considered as a secondary source of income for a small percentage of population. Since the pandemic, there has been an increased interest among youth and smallholder farmers to engage in this sector for food security.

The Order of Malta Lebanon is partnering with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation, to reachout 300 families of smallholder farmers from South Lebanon, Bekaa and North Lebanon (Khaldieh and Kobayat) for an agro-humanitarian response, to ensure food availability. Over a period of summer and winter seasons, between May to August 2021 and between October to December 2021 respectively, a kit of seedlings and organic matter will be provided, which includes a total of 6500 seedlings to each farmer. These small farmers will be seclected based on a vulneabilty asessment conducted at the household level.

During summer, tomato, pepper, and cucumber seedlings will be given and during winter, cabbages, cauliflower and brocolli seeds will be distributed. Tools for agricultural activities, alongside the knowledge on good practices will also be provided by trained engineers. Furthermore, 5% of crops which will be donated to the patients of our health centers, that will also benefit refugees. This partnership will aid access to affordable and nutritional food production to further ensure both health and food security among the most vulnerable population in Lebanon.

LDF Fund for Food Emergency Aid serves to provide humanitarian assistance in the most vulnerable areas in Asia and Africa, to population affected by health, economic and climatic disasters. Since its inception in 2014, LDF Fund for Food Emergency Aid has partnered with the international organisations and local bodies to provide food and water subsistence in Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, South Sudan, and Yemen.

The Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (LAKM) / Order of Malta Lebanon is releasing a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the following:

– Consultancy, Implementation of a Day-Care Medical Center for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Well-Being 

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for a qualified consultant for the implementation of a day-care medical center for psychosocial rehabilitation and well-being.

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

The Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (LAKM) / Order of Malta Lebanon is releasing a Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) for the following:

– Service Provider – Agriculture Advisory & Development 

The Order of Malta Lebanon has been operating in the health and social welfare sectors since 1957. It manages a network of 30 projects serving the most vulnerable populations, across the Lebanese territory including primary healthcare centers, mobile medical units, elderly day care centers, hosting centers for the differently-abled and projects for the displaced and refugees.

The Order of Malta Lebanon, with the support of its partner Malteser International (MI), has developed a comprehensive multi-annual program to strengthen its social and health services as well as its structures.

In this framework, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta / Order of Malta Lebanon is looking for a qualified service provider – agriculture advisory & development .

If interested to apply, please click on the red title above in order to access the Terms of Reference.

A protocol has been signed on the 16th of April, 2021 between the Order of Malta Lebanon, the Saint-Michel Hospital Foundation and Notre-Dame Maritime Hospital for the establishment of an unprecedented unit in the fight against the Covid-19.

Nestled in a natural and peaceful setting, in the town of Amchit, the Saint-Michel hospital of 160 years, is getting a new lease on life. This institution, the first hospital in Mount Lebanon founded in 1857, had been established to accommodate the vulnerable and neglected populations of the region, without distinction of religion, race or nationality, and without any financial contribution in return.

Today, in the midst of a health slump due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has shaken the world, and while the entire healthcare system is weakened, the Saint-Michel Hospital Foundation, the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon) and Notre-Dame Maritime Hospital in Jbeil have forged a partnership, making it possible to fight together the war against the coronavirus. According to the memorandum of understanding signed between the three institutions, the Foundation will provide the fully re-equipped hospital, as well as cover the costs of operations and administrative management. The Order of Malta Lebanon will share its know-how through the medical management of the project and the supply of respiratory assistance devices and hospital use medicines, thanks to the support of the Île-de-France Region. As for the Notre-Dame Maritime Hospital, it will offer its support through its human resources and expertise.

Relieve hospitals

This project, part of the local hospital ecosystem, aims at relieving hospitals and allowing them to focus on severe cases. It also offers a holistic approach to the treatment of Covid-19, with PCR tests to limit the spread of the virus, a hotline to guide patients and offer those who need it with medical follow-up at home (with medical equipment made available to them), hospitalization of intermediate cases, rehabilitation of patients with sequelae and, finally, vaccination, all these services free of charge.

The process is clearly defined, from the patient triage room at the entrance, where the patient’s condition is assessed for selection according to strict criteria to minimize the risk, to hospitalization in rooms equipped with a negative pressure system to avoid contamination, a surveillance camera and an individual bathroom.

The building, divided into two parts for better insulation, will house 10 rooms and 15 beds, with a fully vaccinated nursing staff to take care of patients made of nurses and orderlies present 24 hours a day, as well as a medical staff made of family doctors, a pulmonologist and a specialist in infectious diseases ensuring a daily presence and follow-up.

An emergency room is also provided in case a patient’s condition worsens. He would then be immediately transferred by the Lebanese Red Cross to Notre-Dame Maritime hospital located in Jbeil, a few minutes from Amchit.

Representatives of the partner institutions in front of the entrance to Saint-Michel Hospital. Photo Michel Sayegh.

An initiative with the man and his dignity at its heart

During the signing of the protocol in the presence of the head of the municipality of Amchit as well as representatives of the three partner institutions, Marcel Zakhia, manager of the Foundation, declared that “this social and humanitarian initiative is in line with the mission that the Saint-Michel Hospital Foundation has set for itself to serve the population of Amchit and, more broadly, of Mount Lebanon, for more than a century and a half”. Dr. Joseph Chami, director of Notre-Dame Maritime Hospital, for his part underlined “the common values which unite the partner institutions, each in its specific mission”.

Finally, the President of the Order of Malta Lebanon, Marwan Sehnaoui, emphasized the vocation that unites the said institutions “around man and his dignity”. He thanked all the people who participated in the implementation of this project, the activity of which began yesterday, and in particular Prof. Amine Haddad, medical director of the Order of Malta Lebanon, and the management team of the Saint-Michel hospital Foundation, for their tireless efforts, hoping that through this innovative initiative, “we can prove by action that Lebanon is more than a country, it’s a message, a nurturing ground for mutual aid and coexistence. Men today have lost hope. It is up to us, through our action, to give them a new source of hope”.

“Tell Us…How You Really Feel?”

BEIRUT, April 14, 2021 – Against the backdrop of the crisis-ridden situation in Lebanon and its detrimental effects on the various societal strata, the Order of Malta Lebanon has launched the “Tell Us.. How You Really Feel?” mental health campaign in collaboration with Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ). Doctors and psychiatrists from both the Order and USJ are taking part in this initiative, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by Malteser International (MI).

The campaign aims to deconstruct social stigma associated with psychiatric and mental illnesses and related stereotypes. It also aims to raise community awareness on the importance of seeking professional mental health support when necessary, as well as turning to the family doctor, the Order’s community health centers, family and close friends to share our anxieties as means for emotional relief and to alleviate the weight of our worries and fears. This is especially true given the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) generated by the spiraling crises that are currently plaguing Lebanon. Levels of stress and anxiety are on the rise caused by the successive adversities hitting Lebanon, particularly in the aftermath of the Beirut Port explosion and the sharp economic downturn, not to mention the implications of the lockdown and quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The campaign sheds the light on the role of psychologists and psychiatrists as well as the importance of consulting a physician before resorting to self-medicating with antidepressants and sedatives. Adopting a proximity approach, the Order of Malta Lebanon went to the streets and asked individuals of different socioeconomic and age groups about the state of their mental wellbeing, in light of the deteriorating economic, health and living conditions. These testimonies were later transferred to mental health experts at USJ, and as a result, six conditions were identified, representing the main disorders that the Lebanese complained about, which became the campaign themes.

The themes are: depression, anxiety, insomnia, negative coping mechanisms, as well as various behavioral and emotional disorders in children and adolescents (hyperactivity, strained child/parent interactions, lack of concentration, lack of communication with others as a result of remote learning and prolonged use of technological devices, and disrupted daily routines).

The campaign’s objectives are showcased in six one minute awareness films that voice people’s concerns and provide guidance and education on each of the abovementioned subjects, their causes and how to address them. These topic are followed by in-depth discussions during a television morning program where mental health experts and doctors will offer advice and tips on how to manage symptom-related challenges.

The campaign goes beyond awareness-raising. It also offers referrals to the Order of Malta Lebanon community health centers, which are part of the National Primary Healthcare Program, or to any of their partners’ centers. The Order is continuously scaling up its services to embrace mental health thanks to the help of trained professionals. Patients will be able to turn to nurses, social workers or general practitioners who are on hand to determine symptoms and provide diagnosis. And if necessary, patients will be referred to specialists.

“People have always been at the core of our efforts which seek to improve their livelihoods and maintain their wellbeing. The Order has dedicated itself to mitigating the suffering of all groups and catering to their evolving needs, including mental health. Our partnership with USJ is crucial today in forging a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the face of the unprecedented challenges,” said Oumayma Farah, PR & Communications Director at the Order of Malta Lebanon.

“Mental health is part of a series of new services launched by the Order in its centers to round out its health, social and humanitarian provisions, especially in the context of the severe socioeconomic and healthcare pressures currently experienced in Lebanon. Hospitals are buckling under the daily strain exerted on their medical and nursing staff, amid an unprecedented wave of emigration of medical professionals, rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, and the lifting of subsidies on some medications while others have become unavailable. As for the food sector, steadily increasing prices have threatened the population’s food security, compounded by the soaring levels of poverty, unemployment and other hardships, all of which have exacerbated the mental strain and distress of the national and resident populations,” she noted, adding that “the campaign aspires to enable and encourage individuals to speak up and seek mental health support through our nine centers and their qualified medical teams, or to refer them to our partners’.”

USJ’s Head of Psychiatry Department, Prof. Sami Richa, lauded “the knowledge-based partnership that links us as an active academic institution with the Order of Malta Lebanon. This close collaboration constitutes a cornerstone for intersectional efforts that cut across humanitarian, health and social fieldwork on one hand and the specialized medical field on another, towards educating the public on psychiatric and mental health as an integral part of physical health.”

He observed that the campaign aimed at society as a whole “is a clear reflection of Saint Joseph University’s social commitment manifested in investing its medical expertise and resources to supporting and tending to the concerns of the Lebanese society suffering today from many psychological pressures owing to the crises Lebanon is going through.”