Wadi Khaled is one of the most impoverished and neglected areas in the country where north of Lebanon meets the center west of Syria. It is a region with more than 22 different villages and no public primary healthcare centers. The population living there needs to travel approximately 40 kilo meters to reach a public hospital. The population most affected only became Lebanese citizens in the late 1990’s and are still upholding strong tribal traditions and good relations with their Syrian neighbors. Wadi Khaled also became a refuge for some of the first refugees in the early days of the Syrian war, but both communities face many hardships, including difficulties in accessing essential healthcare.
Wadi Khaled is one of the areas in the north governorate of Lebanon identified as one of the main regions in the country with low immunisation coverage. This is extremely concerning in a country that experiences recurrent measles outbreaks and is still struggling to maintain zero polio status. Médecins Sans Frontières’s (MSF) provides routine vaccines for children defaulting from immunisation as part of its primary healthcare activities offered in our local clinic. To address other barriers such as transportation costs, MSF visits different villages of Wadi Khaled to conduct weekly vaccination campaigns. MSF health promotion teams also organise weekly health awareness sessions to combat misconceptions and encourage people to take up routine vaccinations.