A testimony by Glykeria Koukouliata, mental health activity manager with MSF in Baalbek-Hermel In Baalbek-Hermel, one of Lebanon’s most underserved governorates and heavily impacted by the latest war and ongoing Israeli airstrikes, large communities of Syrian refugees, both long-term and newly arrived, live alongside local communities.1 Here, children grow up with stress and uncertainty that … Read more
Joumana Mansour, Nurse Team Supervisor, MSF Hermel, Collected 11.11.2025 We heard a deafening sound, and the entire building shook. Dust and debris flew at us from all over. For a moment, it felt like the walls would collapse. I started screaming for everyone to move away from the windows; the staff, the patients, anyone in … Read more
As the war in Lebanon casts a shadow of devastation for millions of people across the country, community-led initiatives and local efforts are testament to the surviving solidarity and hope among Lebanese society. In the heart of Beirut, one such initiative is providing a lifeline for people housed in the Al Azarieh building—once a bustling … Read more
Beirut, Lebanon, 10 October 2024 – As Israeli attacks intensify in Lebanon, healthcare facilities in areas most affected by airstrikes are being forced to close. This is leading to devastating consequences for civilians and their access to healthcare. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are working tirelessly to ensure the continuation of care in our existing … Read more
We are in a safe place, for now Maryam, our field communications manager from Beirut, reported from a car as she fled, describing scenes of chaos in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Yesterday (Friday 27/09/2024), we heard and felt a huge series of blasts while we were in meetings at the office. We wrapped up … Read more
Following the widescale Israeli bombings of multiple areas in Lebanon on Monday 23 September, we are gradually stepping up our response to the escalating humanitarian needs. MSF teams are providing general healthcare and essential relief items to displaced people. According to the Ministry of Health, 558 people have been killed and 1,835 injured, with thousands more forced to … Read more
Names in this article have been changed to protect anonymity. “I wish for death,” says Umm Khattab, a Syrian refugee who has called a flimsy tent along the northeast border of Lebanon home for years. “We live in constant anxiety and terror. Death has become more merciful than living here.” Her words capture the stark … Read more
In 2020, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) opened a clinic in Beirut providing migrant domestic workers with free-of-charge health consultations and specialist mental health support. Three years later, MSF teams continue to see the impact of the Kafala system on people’s living and working conditions as well as on their physical and mental health. … Read more
MSF psychologist Sara Tannouri looks back at the blast that devastated her home city of Beirut, Lebanon two months ago and its impact on people’s mental wellbeing, including her own. 4 August 2020 at 6.08 pm. I was just about to leave my house for the weekly session with my personal therapist. I was already late … Read more
More than 10,600 Syrian families who have fled their country have taken refuge in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, located approximately 30 kilometers[about 19 miles] from the Syrian border. Its population includes 500,000 Lebanese citizens, Palestinian refugees living in the Baddawi and Nahr el-Bared camps, and, now, more than 42,000 Syrians who have sought refuge in … Read more