Aug, 2025
Medical aid donated by International Health Partners is enhancing vital treatment for victims of recent wildfires.
When wildfires swept across southern Lebanon this summer, firefighters risked their lives to save the forests and nearby communities. For many, the flames left lasting scars.
Samer, head of the Civil Defense Forces in Rashaya, was among the affected. The Civil Defense Forces are Lebanon’s official emergency response and rescue service, responsible for fire-fighting, rescue operations, and disaster response across the country.
“I was battling a massive wildfire during the recent heatwave, when temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Our greatest challenge in those moments was the wind. While we were fighting to save the forest, the winds suddenly shifted, and I found myself surrounded by flames,” he recalls.
Samer suffered severe burns after falling into the fire several times before escaping.
"...the winds suddenly shifted, and I found myself surrounded by flames."
“I’ve now been in the hospital for 10 days, and thanks to this burn unit, along with the expertise of the doctors and nurses, I’m already seeing great improvements. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to find such a well-equipped unit here in the region.”
Can we count on you today?
Anera delivers quality medicine to the most vulnerable communities in Gaza, and your support can help us do even more for women like Samia. Just $1 ships $115 worth of medical supplies and healthcare.
The Establishment of the Burn Unit
The Burn Unit at Nabatieh Governmental University Hospital is one of the only specialized facilities of its kind in southern Lebanon. It was established just before the conflict began, thanks in large part to Anera’s efforts.
Ali Jaber, director of the unit, emphasizes its importance:
“Thanks to Anera, we were able to establish this burn unit in the first place. They played a key role in equipping the department with the necessary medical supplies, allowing us to open just before the conflict began.”
"Thanks to Anera, we were able to establish this burn unit in the first place."
Since then, continued support — most recently through a donation from International Health Partner (IHP) of advanced wound-care materials — has kept the unit operational. Treating burn victims is extremely costly, with many patients requiring hospital stays of more than a month, alongside daily outpatient care.
“Treating burn injuries comes with enormous costs,” Jaber says. “But with Anera and IHP’s donations, we can significantly ease that burden on our patients.”
Life-Saving Medical Shipments
Through our partnership with IHP, Anera recently delivered two full containers of specialized medical supplies to Lebanon. The shipment contained 20,000 units of advanced dressings, hydrogels, antimicrobial foams, and scar management sheets, all designed to promote healing, control infections, and reduce complications for patients with deep wounds and burns.
These supplies are being distributed to more than 20 hospitals and specialized centers across Lebanon, ensuring that vulnerable patients — including the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and burn victims — receive the care they urgently need.
For Nabatieh’s burn unit, the IHP shipment represents something priceless: the ability to offer life-saving treatment to patients like Samer, who otherwise may not have had access to such specialized care.
Supporting Patients, Sustaining Hope
From catastrophic wildfires to accidents at home, burn injuries devastate families and communities. Without sustained support, many patients face insurmountable costs and long, painful recoveries.
Thanks to Anera’s ongoing partnership with IHP and the generosity of tens of thousands of individual donors, Lebanon’s burn patients can access the treatment they need close to home. For Samer and many others, that means a chance to heal and return to protecting their communities.
