In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown and the economic crisis in Lebanon, the mental health and well-being of migrant workers has severely deteriorated.

Access to healthcare by migrant workers is very restricted in Lebanon, due to the nature of the employment model to which they are tied – known as the Kafala system – which makes them dependent on a sponsor. The mental health of migrant workers – many of whom are young women – reflects the hardships they have endured while living and working in Lebanon.  

Migrant workers are often subjected to long working hours, low wages, and restrictions on their movements and on their communication with the outside world, poor living conditions and a lack of privacy.

The onset of the COVID-19 lockdown – which came on top of the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon – saw a dramatic decline in migrant workers’ conditions and is having a dire impact on their physical and mental health.

SEMA US has launched an emergency clinic for women and children affected by the crisis and who are in need of medical care. It receives an average of 100 patients a day for medical consultations. SEMA US provides social, mental and medical assessments and refers patients to partner clinics when needed. 

Migrant workers, including those without legal status in the country, should have access to comprehensive health services – including mental healthcare. In the current context of economic collapse and COVID-19, the provision of these services is urgently needed.

• By Suleman Sheikh
• In Uncategorized
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The number of COVID-19 patients in Lebanon passed 53,000 with an average of 1,500 cases a day. 

The number of towns to be isolated increased to 169 towns, while the Ministry of Interior closed all bars, cabarets and nightclubs until further notice. Night curfews will be imposed from midnight until 6 a.m. throughout Lebanon. 

The Ministry of Interior said that the measures were to address “the ongoing pandemic reality and the increasing number of infected people in a way that exceeds the scientifically permissible rates in regions and towns, to enable the Ministry of Health teams to conduct the necessary laboratory examinations and tracking.” 

The Ministry of Interior stressed the necessity for using face masks, avoiding overcrowding, maintaining safe social distance, closing all official and private departments and institutions, and canceling all social events in isolated areas. 

MP Cesar Maalouf warned that Lebanon “has entered the stage of medical disaster in terms of hospital capacity, securing medicines and the high rate of infections, and we do not want to follow the Italian scenario. All private hospitals must open their doors to those infected with the coronavirus because government hospitals are on the verge of collapse.”

Before reaching a terrible storm of infections if not controlled before winter, the spread of the virus must be slowed down through isolation, testing and quarantining contacts.

Especially if the number of infected people per day reaches 2,000 or 3,000, then we must be concerned more than ever. What worries us most is the spread of the virus in cities with high population density, especially in Beirut. 

It can be said now that there is a societal spread of the disease, and people can only be protected by wearing face masks and by preventing gatherings, especially in closed places.

• By Suleman Sheikh
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Walking into a refugee camp is like walking into a desperately overcrowded slum. Many houses are about to collapse, and most people needing care are not able to access hospital treatment. Those most seriously ill die.

Giving women and children new lives and hope in such situations is critical. Lack of access to health care means that there are high rates of deformity, disability, and mortality.

Remas Al Ali, 4, lost her hair and many doctors told her family that it will no longer grow again.

Remas family visited a pediatric clinic supported by SEMA US and started their therapy journey with Dr. Akram. He set a long term therapy plan after he did a clinical evaluation for her.

Three months later, the hair started to gradually grow again, and today the girl’s hair grows completely. Thanks to the accuracy and humanitarian treatment that the clinic offers for its patients.

Our Women and Children Clinic in Lebanon provides general medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare access. The outpouring of interest and support from our donors keep improving women’s and young patients’ adherence towards a healthier quality of life. 

SEMA US is working on multiple levels to secure healthcare reform, provide access to services, and raise awareness about women and children’s health and the need to take action.

Lebanon’s public health system has shown a lot of resilience throughout multiple crises but is now under severe strain. So many more families and refugees are pushed to the edge of poverty and despair. As this crisis continues to unfold, Their ability to survive depends on humanitarian organizations like us and on the continued generosity of people like YOU. 

• By Suleman Sheikh
• In Uncategorized
• 3 comments

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is having potentially catastrophic secondary impacts on the health of women and children. Decisions made at every level of the response to the pandemic are resulting in women being further cut off from sexual and reproductive health services, threatening sharp rises in maternal and neonatal mortality.

Women and children are often denied care outright or face dangerous delays getting the services they need. The impacts of misguided policies and barriers to care are especially severe in places with weak or overburdened health systems. Thousands more lives will get lost when safe delivery, neonatal, and family planning services become inaccessible due to the outbreak.

SEMA US teams at our medical projects, although trying their best to keep the core services running, are already seeing the painful indirect effects of the pandemic on women’s lives:

• closures and cuts to sexual and reproductive health services
• movement restrictions, including travel bans, lockdowns, and curfews
• supply chain disruptions
• lack of clear public health information and guidance

In addition, there has been significant reporting about the economic impacts of the pandemic, with poor and marginalised communities hardest hit. Refugees, migrant workers, and people working in informal jobs already face extreme difficulties getting access to basic healthcare, and these challenges are compounded by COVID-19.

Sexual and reproductive healthcare is essential healthcare

Sexual and reproductive health needs are often neglected in the midst of an emergency – and COVID-19 has been no different. In March, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued interim guidance for maintaining essential services during an outbreak, which included advice to prioritise services related to reproductive health and make efforts to avert maternal and child morbidity and mortality.

Nevertheless, frontline providers were forced to make tough choices about which services are most important, women were often left out. Resources for women’s healthcare were sometimes diverted to support COVID-19 activities.

Although access to safe delivery care has long been acknowledged as an essential health service, many pregnant women suddenly found themselves with fewer options for care. 

• By Suleman Sheikh
• In Uncategorized
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