Following the devastating war on Lebanon that hit as its healthcare sector was still recuperating from recent setbacks, including a multifaceted economic crisis and a brain drain of skilled healthcare workers, LAU and its sister LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital received a much-needed grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Lebanon in support of healthcare and overall medical response in Lebanon.

The grant will fund the purchase of critical equipment, such as stretchers, patient monitors, pumps, defibrillators and portable imaging devices, among others, that will bolster emergency and in-patient surgical care and expand the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity at the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital.

Last month, LAU received a $1.3 million funding support for this project which was made possible thanks to a generous total grant of $2.55 million from USAID. USAID administers U.S. foreign assistance programs that provide economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries worldwide. A sum of $1.25 million of the total grant was received previously to support healthcare with medical supplies and much-needed pharmaceuticals.

A testament to the longstanding partnership between the university and USAID, the goal of this gift is to ensure that the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital has sufficient resources to sustain its effective healthcare delivery, especially in view of the paramount challenges facing the country.

On behalf of the university, LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah expressed sincere gratitude to USAID and the American people. “The enduring dedication that USAID has demonstrated in alleviating the repercussions of ongoing hardships has been nothing short of inspirational, as it rekindles hope for a better tomorrow,” he said.

 “This grant is a lifeline for our medical center and the patients we serve, enabling us to enhance our emergency preparedness and critical care capacity during an unprecedented time of need,” said CEO of the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital Sami Rizk. “We are deeply grateful to USAID for their unwavering support, which underscores their commitment to strengthening Lebanon’s healthcare system and empowering institutions like ours to deliver life-saving care to the community.”