The Lebanese Army Forces Commander, General Joseph Aoun, received in his office of Yarzeh the President of the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (LAKM), Marwan Sehnaoui, accompanied by LAKM’s Hospitaller Paul Saghbini, and a delegation from the association. Member of the Military Council General Elias Chamieh and the Military Healthcare Commander General Georges Youssef were also present to receive the donation made by the Association to the Lebanese Army.
General Aoun warmly thanked Mr. Sehnaoui for this donation, which will help build the Military Healthcare’s capacity, particularly in the fight against the coronavirus and its spread.
The delegation then moved to the Military Healthcare Unit in Badaro, to present General Youssef with the donation. The batch of medical equipment consists of 5 non-invasive ventilators, produced by the well-known French company Air Liquide – one of the most important companies specialized in manufacturing of this material –, as well as 1000 rapid tests and 1000 PCR tests, along with an Automated Extractor which completes the PCR screening device, and its 2000 extractor kits.
This donation is part of a cooperation protocol signed at the beginning of the year by the LAKM and the Lebanese Army Military Healthcare, to support the LAF infirmaries with the aim of raising their level of performance, thus enabling these facilities to provide health care in a better and more beneficial way.
At the handing over of the donation, President Sehnaoui said: “On the basis of this cooperation protocol, the association wished to extend its support to the army. It has thus chosen to draw on the financial donations granted to it to benefit the troops, in order to enable it to strengthen its capabilities in the field of the fight against the Covid-19, as we remain deeply convinced that it is a prime necessity to preserve the well-being of the military that protects and defends our country”.
It should be noted that the signing of the agreement between the Lebanese Army and the LAKM took place following the success of a pilot project launched in a joint center in the city of Rmeich, in Southern Lebanon.
The action of the LAKM
The Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta, whose action depends entirely on the financial donations of its benefactors, continues its humanitarian operations throughout the Lebanese territory.
The association has been present and active in Lebanon for almost 60 years, and still operates today thanks to a network of around 30 humanitarian programs. Nearly 200000 medical procedures are performed annually, helping to support the needy and those suffering in difficult conditions, without any discrimination whatsoever and in cooperation with all religious communities.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the LAKM’s contribution to fight it, the association has not slowed down its efforts to provide the essential health care, especially for the chronically ill. Therefore, it insisted on pursuing the activity of its Community Health Centers and Mobile Medical Units throughout the Lebanese regions, providing the necessary support and help to all those who need it now more than ever.
