To combat the horrific shortage or complete absence of medicine in Lebanon, Lebanese expats have taken individual decisions to collect medicine donations in their cities and send them to the people in Lebanon.
They are using social media platforms to exchange the necessary information. Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit are just some of the platforms they are using.
During this crisis, it has become a custom for people to fill their luggage with medicine rather than clothes when coming to Lebanon.
The supply of medicine is rapidly depleting in the country, and it is reaching dangerously low levels of availability. Some life-critical meds are also unavailable in the country, including cancer medications.
Just last week, in response to the Akkar’s explosion, calls for meds swarmed social media, urging the Lebanese expats coming to Lebanon to bring meds for burns.
But Lebanon has been suffering from meds scarcity even before then. Serums, anesthesia, cancer treatment, are just some of them, and even some too many basic meds.
Responses by those in charge have been almost non-existent, until recently when caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan granted four emergency permits to import medicine.
Lebanon’s health sector is nearing an imminent collapse. People have to visit numerous pharmacies each time a medicine is needed, and, in the majority of cases, the medicine is not available.
This initiative by Lebanese expats encourages people to donate all sorts of medicine that would not be available in Lebanon if not for the people sending them from abroad.
World cities, where donations are being gathered as of the time of writing, are the following:
Dubai
On August 22 until August 27 from 9 AM to 8 PM
Drop off location 1: Al Barsha 3, street 22b villa 48, Phone: 0506350330
Drop off location 2: Al Seef Tower, Marina apt 1604, Phone: 0506311510
Jordan
Ongoing until August 21 from 10 AM to 8 PM
Contact Tia on Instagram for drop off point or call: +962797030728
London
On August 25 from 9 AM to 9 PM
Drop off point: Battersea Reach, at the reception.
Contact: Nora Habbal.
Jeddah
Message Nat Kreidieh on Instagram.
Cairo
Contact Amina Mansour on +201001456183
Casablanca
Weekly, on Saturday, from 10 AM to 11 AM – Please refer to locations and contacts below:
Portugal
Weekly collections by La Communidad Libanesa Em Portugal.
Contact Marcelle Taha +351967428348 or email [email protected]
For those arriving in Lebanon with meds donations but don’t know where to donate them, you may contact Ajialouna NGO, the Lebanese Red Cross, MedsForLebanon, or Medonations.
