Following the terrible explosion in Beirut last week, National Hospitaller John Murphy was on the international conference call hosted by the Global Fund for Forgotten People in the early hours of Friday morning to be updated on the Order’s response as it unfolds in this holy land directly from H.E. Marwan Sehnaoui-President of the Lebanese Association, Patrick Jabre- Vice President of the Lebanese Association, Member of the Order’s Government Council and Oumayma Farah General Delegate for the Lebanese Association and Member of the Order’s Communication Board.

The country has been badly affected by economic, political and health crisis so the latest situation has created a dire situation with a country close to collapse. 300,000 people have lost their homes, 5 hospitals and 35 schools have been badly damaged, there is no power, water or hygiene services.

The Lebanese Order who have a strong presence in Beirut have been in the front line assisting in a situation that can only be described as chaotic. The Order and Malteser International members and volunteers have combined to work closely with the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health to ensuring that we are filling a void that other agencies cannot fill.

The immediate focus has been on primary health care and mobile medical units caring for those directly injured in the blast, food and water is also being distributed by 300 of our volunteers on the ground. There is also much resource focused on repair of health care centres, provision of sanitary packs to assist with the spike in Covid-19 infection and preparations are been made for post trauma assistance both physical and mental rehabilitation.

There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support from friends in the Order right around the globe but needs all the financial and spiritual support we can muster. If you have not yet contributed to or If you wish to make a further donation you can do so online through our Emergency Relief Fund donation page.