Since 2011 countless Libyan hospitals and medical centres have been heavily damaged or destroyed by armed conflict and bombing. Medical care is limited due to the lack of medical staff, structural damage and shortages of pharmaceuticals. Numerous attacks on medical personnel and facilities have been reported, often resulting in the suspension of those services that are still available.
The situation of medical care in Libya is dramatic. The crisis in the country has produced about 1.5 million displaced persons and more than a million people in need of assistance. About 24% of Libyan citizens and 80% of migrants and refugees say they have difficulty accessing medical services. Those few centres that have remained open not only experience shortages of medicines and equipment but have often suffered structural damage, and are short-staffed, over-burdened with patients and suffering from problems due to insufficient maintenance.
In districts (Zawya and Ghat), the Organization of Development Pioneers (ODP) has begun a project aimed at improving access to basic medical services and improving living conditions for the local and migrant population. The actions implemented so far toward this goal are:
rehabilitation of 4 hospitals and 3 primary care centres between Zawya and Ghat;supply of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and consumables for providing new treatment services and improving those already offered by the existing medical centres;
training for Libyan doctors and nurses under the supervision of the staff of Gaslini Hospital in Genoa (the technical partner in the project).
In this way, the population of the Zawya and Ghat districts will be provided with improved access to quality medical services and care. There will be a special focus on particularly vulnerable groups, such as internally displaced persons, returnees (Libyan citizens who have emigrated and returned to the country), pregnant women, babies and children.
Donor: EU Trust Fund for Africa
Supervisor: AICS
Lead agency: Helpcode
Local Partner: ODP
Beneficiaries
The population of the districts of Zawya and Ghat
Internally displaced persons and returnees present in Zawya and Ghat
Libyan medical and nursing staff
Regular and irregular migrants present in Zawya and Ghat
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