Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 3: Time to act: Tackling epidemics and pandemics together (33IC/19/R3) – Lebanese Red Cross

Has your State/National Society/Institution incorporated the commitments contained in this resolution into the relevant strategic or operational plans?

The commitments are incorporated into:
Strategy
Policy
Operational plan

At the National, Local level

Explanation:

I.COVID-19 Response

1.     Health Centers Interventions

a.     Staff Training and Preparedness

1. • Medical and Non-Medical Staff Training: incomprehensive training programs for all medical and non-medical staff, focusing on COVID-19 transmission, prevention measures, and management of suspected or confirmed cases.
   • Prevention and Management Protocols: Staff were educated on proper prevention protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and management strategies for handling patients, ensuring a consistent and informed response across all health centers.

b.     Patient Assessment and Triage

1. • Initial Assessment Procedures: Upon arrival, patients were evaluated for potential COVID-19 exposure. This included inquiries about contact with confirmed cases, recent travel history, and symptoms like cough, fatigue, or fever, along with a primary assessment that measured temperature and included a general physical examination.
   • Triage and Isolation: Suspected cases were promptly isolated and evaluated by a doctor, ensuring that potential COVID-19 cases were managed appropriately and linked to further medical care as needed.

c.     Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines

1. • Establishing detailed guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of health centers. These guidelines ensured that cleaning protocols were standardized and effectively implemented.  also ensured a sufficient stock of disinfectants necessary for maintaining hygiene standards across all health centers.

d.     PPE Management

1. • Stock: ensured an adequate PPE stockpile to protect staff.
   • Training sessions: on the correct use, donning, and doffing of PPE were conducted regularly to maintain high safety standards.

2.     Community Interventions

a.     Training for Social Workers and Community Volunteers

Social workers and community volunteers received training on COVID-19 prevention, signs and symptoms, transmission pathways, and vaccine information. This enabled them to effectively disseminate crucial information within the community and support public health efforts.

b.     Awareness sessions

Social workers, supported by trained community volunteers, conducted awareness sessions to spread knowledge about COVID-19. These sessions covered the disease’s transmission methods, prevention strategies, vaccination information, and healthy lifestyle practices

c.     Psychosocial Support (PSS) Activities

1. • Self-Care and Stress Management: MSS implemented 9365 PSS activities to help individuals manage stress and practice self-care during the pandemic, supporting mental health and resilience among staff and the community.

     II. Cholera Response

1.     Health Centers Interventions

a.     Staff Training and Preparedness

1. • Medical and Non-Medical Staff Training: Training programs covered cholera transmission, prevention, ensuring that staff could respond effectively to cholera outbreaks.

b.     Patient Assessment and Triage

1. • Initial Assessment Procedures: Patients were assessed for cholera symptoms, such as severe diarrhea and dehydration, to quickly identify and manage cases.

c.     PPE Management

1. • Stock and Training: Adequate PPE supplies were maintained, and staff received training on the proper use of PPE to prevent cholera transmission during patient care.

d.     Stockpiles of Essential Supplies and Drugs

Supply Management: Ensuring an adequate stockpile of essential supplies, drugs and ORS is critical for an effective response to cholera outbreaks

e.     Mapping Facilities for Cholera Diagnosis and Treatment

Facility Mapping: Identifying and mapping facilities capable of diagnosing and treating cholera ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate care

2. Deployment of Mobile Medical Units (MMUs): to locations with high intervention needs, providing medical consultations, distributing ORS, and conducting awareness sessions on cholera prevention and water treatment. For example, in Akkar, the MMU was deployed to villages most affected by cholera to ensure appropriate interventions. In Akkar alone, MSS conducted 1,239 group awareness sessions and 564 one-on-one awareness sessions. Trainings were provided for 63 community volunteers, Medical and non-medical staff were trained. The MMU reached 838 unique beneficiaries for medical consultations, provision of ORS by healthcare professionals, and necessary linkages to further medical care.

3.     Community Interventions

a.     Training for Social Workers and Community Volunteers:

Social workers and community volunteers received specialized training on cholera, which included in-depth information on the disease’s transmission, symptoms, and prevention strategies. This training empowered them to effectively educate the community, conduct awareness sessions on cholera prevention, and promote safe water and hygiene practices.

1. Awareness and Education: Social workers and volunteers were trained on cholera prevention, symptoms, transmission, and treatment. They conducted community awareness sessions to educate the public about cholera and its risks.

1. • 1168 interventions in 6 different governorate

• 5,940 individuals targeted, 65% were females and 35%were males. The majority of participants (73%) were Lebanese nationals, and the majority (49%) ages ranged from 19 to 60 years old.

c.     Water Treatment and Hygiene Kits

1. • Water Treatment: implemented water treatment measures to ensure safe drinking water in affected areas, helping to reduce the spread of cholera.
   • Distribution of Hygiene Kits: Hygiene kits containing soap, disinfectants, and other essentials were distributed to communities to promote proper hygiene practices.

d.     Provision of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)

1. • Healthcare Professional Involvement: ORS were provided by healthcare professionals to treat dehydration in cholera patients, improving recovery rates and reducing mortality.

e.     Early Detection and Early Reporting

1. • Community volunteers and social workers played a crucial role in the early detection of cholera at the field level by monitoring and identifying symptoms among the population. This rapid identification was promptly reported to the medical team and headquarters, facilitating timely intervention and coordinated response efforts.

III.Hepatitis A Response

1.     Health Centers Interventions

a.     Staff Training and Preparedness

1. • Medical and Non-Medical Staff Training: Training sessions focused on hepatitis A transmission, prevention, and management, equipping staff with the knowledge to handle cases effectively.
   • 670 participated in the Hepatitis A awareness sessions.

b.     Patient Assessment and Triage

1. • Initial Assessment Procedures: Patients were screened for hepatitis A symptoms, such as jaundice, fatigue, and abdominal pain, to promptly identify and manage cases.

c.     PPE Management

1. • Stock and Training: PPE supplies and provided training on their correct use to prevent hepatitis A transmission among healthcare workers.

2.     Community Interventions

a.     Training for Social Workers and Community Volunteers

1. • Awareness and Education: Training covered hepatitis A prevention, symptoms, transmission, and treatment. Social workers and volunteers conducted community sessions to raise awareness about hepatitis A.

b.     Water Treatment and Hygiene Kits

1. • Water Treatment: Measures were taken to ensure clean water supplies, reducing the risk of hepatitis A transmission.

IV.Infection Prevention and control (IPC) policies and procedures Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) policies and procedures are crucial for effective outbreak response, as they provide a structured approach to minimizing the spread of infectious diseases and ensuring the safety of both healthcare providers and patients. The Lebanese Red Cross, through its has meticulously developed and implemented these policies and procedures to strengthen its response to various outbreaks, including COVID-19, cholera, and hepatitis A.

NB : LRC has a medical directions (5 doctors) who follows and update the needed protocols including dispatch center

Has your State/National Society/Institution been working with other partners to implement the commitments contained in this resolution?

Partner with:
National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in your country
Government and/or public authorities
ICRC/IFRC
Other National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies
Humanitarian and development partners (e.g. UN, NGOs etc.)
Academia
Other

Examples of cooperation:

as part of the National Response Plan LRC is key in responding to any crises especially epidemic pandemic . When Covid19 hit Lebanon in 2020 LRC was mandated by the government to transport confirmed / suspected cases of Covid19 to / from Home / Hospital ; also tracing , shelter , relief and others ; this is due to the fact that LRC volunteers were trained since the Ebola in 2014 based on clear protocols and instructions of the medical direction of LRC as well as equipped with the needed PPEs – the protocols were readjusted accordingly

Have you encountered any challenges in implementing the commitments contained in this resolution?

With challenges on:
Human resources
Funding constraints
Lack of capacity and/or support (technical, financial, or other)
Other

Details about challenges:

During the crises that hit directly some challenges rised

• Internally we lacked emergency procurement processes as well as recruitment
• Lack of PPEs in the market
• High Cost for the PPEs
• High cost of transportation per patient
• Economic Crises in the country with the dollars inflation
• Bank Liquidity
• Mental Health Support for the patient and volunteers and the families of the volunteers
• Global crises and difference in protocols

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the work and direction of your State/National Society/Institution?

Type of Impact:
Cooperation between Government/public authorities and National Society has been strengthened
Programming and operations have become more effective and efficient
Innovative tools/methodologies have been developed and are utilized
Partnerships with other humanitarian actors have been created or enhanced
Increase in mobilization of resources
Training and capacity of staff and volunteers has increased (for National Societies)
Other

Details about the impact:

As mentioned LRC is mandated by the government during crises and peace as we lead in the country in Emergency Medical Services, Blood Transfusion Centers in addition to Primary Health , Relief  , Community Resilience and others

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the communities that your State/National Society/Institution serves?

Description of the impact:

Through all the programs throughout the year and specifically during any epidemic pandemic