On February 21, 2020, Lebanon confirmed the first case of COVID-19 which initiated a nationwide response to accommodate for the impending risk of the outbreak and its effects on the entire population.
IDRAAC has been responding to the current state of emergency and lock-down and working on different fronts focusing on the mental health and psycho-social support aspects of the outbreak to different vulnerable groups.
IDRAAC has also been collaborating with national and international bodies, such as the Lebanese National Mental Health Program of the Ministry of Public Health, the Lebanese Epidemiological Association (LEA), the American Psychological Association (APA), the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT) and the Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights (GNPHR), Helpage International, Alzheimer's Disease International as well as academic institutions such as Queen Mary University of London which bring together countries from around the world to share their experiences in this global crisis and put together interventions directed towards ensuring psychological aid to front liners, vulnerable populations and the community at large, as well as fighting stigmatization, spreading awareness and actions to protect human rights.
Managing social distancing, confinement and quarantine in the best way possible in order to decrease their impact as risk factors and adversities on mental health which is a major component of IDRAAC's mission.
To date, IDRAAC has been offering the following services to the community:
Awareness Services:
- Awareness tips on social media to raise awareness in the community (can be checked on our social media sites Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
- Webinars and Live sessions on social media providing tips for better mental health during confinement (You can check our latest Webinar "Mental Health for Adults and Children during Corona outbreak" on this link).
Community Services:
- Free online consultations (Telehealth) to needy people received through our hotline number 76 10 05 76, social media platforms and referred from other NGOs.
- Daily follow up of patients admitted to St Georges Hospital University Medical Center that are COVID-19 positive
- Free support to the medical staff at St Georges Hospital University Medical Center
Research Activities:
We started research projects related to the effect of COVID-19 on mental health of different vulnerable groups.
As the outbreak risks and effects on mental health are still eminent, IDRAAC will be further developing its response and services according to the needs of our community.