Anera Facilitates Vaccinations in Bekaa, Lebanon
November 15, 2021 | Beirut — Anera is facilitating the vaccination of its youth program participants as well as its partners and families, against COVID-19. This comes as part of encouraging Anera staff, partners, and beneficiaries to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the safety of the community and the participants in its programs and create a safe environment for all related parties.
This initiative will assist in the vaccination of more than 200 young people in the Bekaa region. The vaccinations will take place at the MSF Bar Elias local center at the Nasser Club, in the next two to three days.
The MSF Bar Elias center opened on June 17, 2021 as a vaccination center to support the national vaccination rollout in Lebanon. The center helps individuals and health authorities in their fight against the pandemic and ensures the most vulnerable and at-risk populations have access to the vaccine. Appointments are set through the ministry of public health’s online platform (IMPACT) and are given to those who have registered and are eligible based on the ministry’s national vaccine access criteria.
The MSF Head of Mission Julien Raickman says,
“The MSF Bar Elias vaccination center is part of our COVID-19 work in the country. We’re supporting all the populations in Lebanon to receive their vaccine, regardless of their nationality, origin, religion, or gender, and contributing to the country’s efforts to fight the pandemic as the healthcare system struggles. We are happy to see organizations and associations encouraging vaccination against COVID-19, and referring to our center to provide it. Since the launch of the national vaccination plan, MSF continuously advocated for the access of vaccines to all people living in Lebanon. We continue to encourage people to get vaccinated to protect themselves, and the others.”
Mahmoud Abdullah, Anera’s area manager in the Bekaa, says,
“This campaign comes as part of ensuring a safe environment for our youth, local partners, and their staff members taking part in our programs. We always encourage youth, through our orientations and sessions, to take the lead in raising awareness in their communities on the importance of getting vaccinated. I would like to thank MSF for the efficient and speedy response in supporting this campaign since it aligns with our approach towards a safe and protected community.”
Samar El-Yassir, Anera’s country director in Lebanon, says,
“Since the launch of the COVID-19 national vaccination campaign in Lebanon, we have made it our mission to ensure that all the Anera community gets immunized and that no one is left behind. This includes our staff, our partners and the communities we serve. Thanks to Lebanon’s ministry of public health and their continued efforts in the national vaccination campaign, as well as Lebanon’s healthcare providers and our partners such as MSF, I am genuinely hopeful that we will be able to achieve this mission.”
SAMAR EL-YASSIR AND MAHMOUD ABDULLAH ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS
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About Anera
Since 1968, Anera has helped refugees and others hurt by conflicts in the Middle East live with dignity and purpose. Anera, which has no political or religious affiliation, works on the ground with partners in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Jordan. We mobilize resources for immediate humanitarian relief and for sustainable health, education, and economic development efforts. Our staff are from the communities they serve, navigating the politics that constrict progress to get help where it’s needed most. We will keep building better lives until hope finds its way in the Middle East.