The conversation around mental health in Lebanon has been ignited. While some believe we are still at the beginning of this journey, it is safe to say that the past five years—and in particular the past six months—have witnessed a dramatic change in the state of mental health awareness and resources in Lebanon. This change…
Talking saves lives
The Brussels II conference
Despite the government’s substantial commitments to improve the refugee situation in Lebanon, shortfalls such as continued gaps in funding and the lack of concrete commitments on resettlement, livelihood, and the accountability of funds still persist. These gaps were reflected in the outcomes of the Brussels II Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the…
Healthcare sector in Lebanon carrying its own, but still in need of coordined development
If Lebanon were to visit a doctor for a head-to-toe physical, she might leave the appointment with a few prescriptions in hand. A check up on the overall robustness of the nation’s health infrastructure would show the vital signs of the country’s health sector as generally good, albeit with some lingering concerns, such as reports…
7 Management’s journey to success
The road to success is not easy. It is even harder when working in the nightlife industry in a country like Lebanon, where the bad years of political instability—which typically lead to economic downturn and low purchasing power—far outweigh the good years of thriving tourism. But this is exactly the road that Rabih Fakhreddine chose,…
Acting head of the ICC discusses the state of health insurance in Lebanon
At the end of April, the imposition of rules on guaranteed renewability (GR) in health insurance was introduced to the public under ministerial decree 186, issued by the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MoET). Executive sat down with Nadine Habbal, who heads the MoET’s Insurance Control Commission (ICC), to explore the implications of GR for…
Health entrepreneurship in Lebanon
When it comes to health, Lebanon is one of the leading countries in the Arab world in terms of the quality of healthcare provided and in testing new medical technologies. The country now has the opportunity to lead the way in entrepreneurship via healthcare startups. Executive spoke with entrepreneurs in this field to see what…
Wellness and health in Lebanon: current status and potential for growth
Health and wellness have long been an integral part of Middle Eastern culture. The most common Arabic phrase used for greeting someone—keef el-sohat?—asks after a person’s health. Another common phrase used in Lebanon specifically is yatik el-afyeh (may God grant you wellness), used as a greeting but also for when someone is engaged in physical…
The impact of the refugee crisis on the Lebanese healthcare system
Many column inches have been dedicated to the Syrian conflict and the resultant refugee crisis, the impact of which has been particularly felt in neighboring countries like Lebanon. Less acknowledged but deserving of recognition is the shocking reality that Lebanon’s healthcare system has performed with surprising efficacy in coping with this crisis. The much-maligned and…
The social and economical cost of mental health in Lebanon
In Lebanon, one in four people suffer from mental illness in their lifetime, according to non-profit mental health NGO Embrace. Mental health refers to the condition of a person’s emotional or psychological well-being, in the same way that physical health refers to the condition of their body. Although the public discussion around mental health in…
Issues and concerns at the intersection of health and finance
In the opening line of American economist and public health expert Selma J. Mushkin’s paper titled “Towards a definition of health economics,” she pointed out two factors shaping the health issue: technological progress and increases in life expectancy. That was in 1958, a few years after the first wave of mass immunizations in the United…
A look into Lebanon’s healthcare
Health encapsulates economic activity that amounts to trillions of dollars by the—in this context crude—methodology of collating production of goods and services as gross domestic product (GDP). The Global Health Observatory of the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the world’s expenditure on health at $7.2 trillion (2015 estimate), or 10 percent of the world’s GDP.…
On the frontlines
The worst kind of despair is the type that creeps in over time and contaminates our behavior, our character, and our life, becoming routine. We have survived wars, but never have Lebanese felt as exiled from the world as during the last seven years, and this has created an anxiety that manifests itself in how…
Lebanon’s bid toward low-carbon mobility
With a global move underway to green the transport sector—in particular, to reduce the impact of privately-owned vehicles—analysts predict that the end of the age of the internal combustion engine is just down the road. The primary catalyst for this move toward greener options can be attributed to the Paris Agreement—a treaty struck among the…
Promoting peace in the Mideast
Executive sat with Matahiro Yamaguchi, Japan’s ambassador to Lebanon, to discuss the country’s humanitarian aid to Lebanon, April’s CEDRE infrastructure investment conference, and prospects for peaceful resolutions to the region’s conflagrations. E The Japanese Embassy is now funding a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)-designed project targeting job creation, productivity gains, and market access…
New infrastructure for education and research
To say that infrastructure is a hot topic in Lebanon is quite the understatement. As infrastructure deficiencies loom large and many new initiatives to implement necessary projects are, realistically, still months or even years away, it is good news that an oft-overlooked need for an academic research and communication network is moving gradually toward fulfillment—with…