LEBANON, as a neighbour of Syria, has been in the eye of the storm that erupted in the beginning of 2011. Since then massive influx of displaced Syrians flooded Lebanon where current rough estimates indicate close to 1.5 million refugees live in Lebanon.
They are scattered over around 2,000 settlements and makeshift spaces all over the country. Estimates from UN agencies indicate that 1:4 is a Syrian refugee, the majority are women and children who are in growing need for livelihood support, health care, education, and protection.
Around my village, El Marj, meaning the meadow, refugees stay in six camps, the Baladieh camp being the largest. In addition, others stay in small rooms within local houses and apartments. Some spaces were made up by UNHCR, other spaces lacked basic livelihood items.
I run a community clinic in Bekaa region east of Lebanon within my village of 14,000 people which hosts close to 20,000 refugees. The main obsession of the women that I meet is to protect their children, as they mourn beloved children and family members that they have lost, and the lifetime of memories that they have left behind. They speak of their stay as temporary and returning to Syria their minds always. There is no more sweeping gratification than being empathetic to people in need, the refugees were more than in need.
The government of Lebanon and the international and national agencies had mobilised available resources to cope with this humongous matter, notably focusing on health care across several domains:
Maternal health received full attention with actions that covered antenatal care and hospital-based deliveries for most of the pregnant Syrian women. A minimal of 3-4 antenatal visits with proper workup and safe deliveries keeping indicators within safe range, with maternal mortality not exceeding average of 10 cases per year for close to 42.000 live birth. Issues of noncompliance and reduced visits were there due to financial and transportation reasons
Adolescent marriage is another serious issue faced by young girls of refugee families. Trying to protect female children from sexual exploitation and for economic reasons, families would marry their daughters at very young ages (14-17), thinking they are keeping them safe from hardships of displacement and abuse
Fertility and family planning was not high on the priority list like pregnancy care, especially that total fertility rate was believed to be rising along with growing gaps in unmet needs in family planning and cultural restriction on its use (male, religion, need to have more children to replace those lost in war). A study conducted by a team at the Faculty of Health Sciences published recently in RHM, showed that Syrian women and families wanted to have more children to make up for those lost in the war. Proper counselling on various types of contraceptives remains weak and UNFPA is supporting efforts to scale up birth control among Syrian refugees and host community towards SDGs 2030.
Other reproductive health issues related to reproductive morbidity and cancer screening as well as midlife needs are not provided in primary health care for refugees at a wider scale. This is due to shrinking funds towards health issues as well as the priority health issues set by donors and the government
Other important issues like violence and mental health are not receiving the attention needed despite few reports published and unpublished showing that women refugees felt concerned about harassment, abuse, rape, and did not feel safe in their spaces
The needs are however huge. Funds and resources promised by the international community are not really met and also are dwindling, making it difficult to provide new services and even maintain existing ones. UNFPA Lebanon is working with a Fund from the Canadian government to support contraception. Other NGOs are focusing on mental health support mainly for children and adolescents.
This crisis remains a global emergency. The grotesque status they are in is overwhelming. This is an emergency that has not only a health burden, but many other social, educational, and family short and long term consequences.
I strongly believe that being a doctor is being an agent of the poor and the needy and that’s what the philosophy of practice is all about.
On World Refugee Day, FIGO hears from surgeon Dr. Sayeba Akhter, Bangladesh, ahead of her session at FIGO World Congress 2018 .
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Hon. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama with guests at the VMSA business event in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied
CLAIMS by the Opposition that the iTaukei and their lands are not secured has been labelled by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama as “ridiculous”. He made the comment at the Victorian Multicultural Sports Association business event held in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday.
“The fact remains that not one millimetre of iTaukei land has been lost under my leadership, and today, 91 per cent of all land in Fiji is owned by the iTaukei and facts, ladies and gentlemen, must always triumph over fear,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“We didn’t only want to protect the ownership of iTaukei land and the rights of the iTaukei, we wanted to do one better by providing a solid foundation for growth that would empower iTaukei people, give ordinary people more resources, more decision-making power and more control over their own destinies,” he said.
Mr Bainimarama said they were helping landowners develop their land themselves so they would not only become cash rich, but also, create more wealth and opportunities for the country.
“It also makes for productive use of idle iTaukei land and thereby contributing to and growing the economy. “That is why we are assisting squatters by upgrading settlements and regularising those squatters residing on State land, issuing 99-year leases for Fijian families, finally giving them the peace of mind and security of long-term residential protection,” he added.