Beirut, Lebanon
Municipality of Beirut Mobile Health Clinic
Summary
The Municipality of Beirut is a recipient of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees, the Mayors Migration Council’s response to the unmet needs of cities as they support migrants, refugees, and internally displaced people.
The Municipality of Beirut’s project brings health care services closer to those in need. Beirut partnered with UN-Habitat Lebanon to purchase and deploy the city’s first Municipal Mobile Health Clinic, which provides free and non-discriminatory Covid-19 testing, vaccinations, and other basic medical services to individuals who are otherwise unable to access them. The Mobile Clinic goes where it is needed most, focusing on neighborhoods with a high percentage of refugees, migrants, and vulnerable Lebanese who were severely impacted by the August 4, 2020, port explosion, such as working-class neighborhoods bordering the port. Beirut directly engaged migrant, refugee, and marginalized Lebanese communities – as well as international and local NGOs - to identify the best use cases and locations for the Municipal Mobile Health Clinic.
Beirut is dedicated to building on the experience of the Mobile Health Clinic to continue delivering flexible services to those who need them the most while strengthening its accountability toward all of Beirut’s residents. To close other gaps in service delivery, the Municipality will maintain and expand its close relationship with project partners and other humanitarian organizations
Impact
Beirut’s most recent phase of the project has three key impacts:
- 1,000 clients have been tested and/or vaccinated for Covid-19 and other diseases.
- Migrants, refugees, and marginalized Lebanese residents have received adequate support to meet their personal or family health needs.
- The Municipality of Beirut has strengthened its capacity to provide equitable health services and holds itself accountable to marginalized communities.
Beirut’s project has the following key innovations:
- Beirut directly engaged migrant, refugee, and marginalized Lebanese communities to identify the best use cases and locations for its first ever Municipal Mobile Health Clinic.
- The project has strengthened the existing collaboration between the Municipality of Beirut and UN-Habitat Lebanon, as well as other project partners such as World Vision, the Lebanese Red Cross, UNHCR, and the Ministry of Public Health.
