Today, the Government of Italy through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) signed and disbursed a grant for 726.000,00 Euro to the Lebanese Red Cross. The Lebanese Red Cross is the entity entrusted with the transport of Covid-19 cases and is one of the main actors on the ground providing medical emergency services and disaster management after the explosions at the Beirut port.
The aim of the grant is to contribute to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic and to the Beirut explosions, by supporting the ability of the Lebanese Red Cross to implement Emergency Medical Services. The contribution will help to mobilize needed ambulances and team services for the high number of people injured after the explosions, while maintaining its response to the Covid-19 emergency, which has recently substantially increased. Support will go specifically to ambulance transport of confirmed and suspected Covid-19 cases and PCR tests.
In addition, the contribution will support the renovation of the damaged Blood Transfusion Services Sector centers in order to face the high demand of blood needed and to continue their normal operations, including delivering blood components, replenishing the emergency stock to ensure sustainability, and overall servicing of the affected population.
Donatella Procesi, Director of Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Beirut, underlined: “Italy supports the Lebanese Red Cross in its efforts in fighting against Covid-19 and saving the lives of people after the explosions in Beirut. It was possible in few days to provide a grant to one of the main actors operating on the ground”.
