Medical Assistance Program (MAP)

Introduction:

The Medical Assistance Program started in 1988 through the initiative of the YMCA Lebanon with the aim of providing chronically ill patients with the required medicines during the hard time of war in Lebanon. The project benefited chronically ill patients with acute poverty as well as refugees displaced as a result of the war. The project aimed at providing these subjects with drugs free of charge through existing local dispensaries operated by local NGOs.

In 1993, and as recognition of the importance of the program increased, the Ministry of Public Health (MOH) intervened with its support of one billion Lebanese pounds. In 1994, The Lebanese Parliament approved two billion Lebanese Pounds. Starting 1998, the Ministry's contribution increased to three (3) billion Lebanese pounds (US$ 2 million). As of the year 2002 the MOH contribution is 3.9 billion Lebanese Pounds.

Medical Program Activities :

During the year 2006 total of 152,531 needy patients were treated, received regular check-ups by specialized doctors and were provided the required medicines throughout 497 decentralized country-wide governmental and community-based non-profit socio-medical centers and dispensaries

Patients' Distribution Geographically

Area Covered	Total No. Of Socio-Medical Centers 2006	Total No. Of Beneficiaries 2006
Mount Lebanon	199	40,394
Beirut	42	24,643
North Lebanon	80	29,231
Bekaa	61	25,962
South Lebanon	115	32,301
Total	497	152,531

Percent Criteria Description Of The Beneficiaries

1. Needy, widows & Elderly	33.52%
2. Unemployed	20.58%
3. Large families with minimum income	24.42%
4. Social hardship cases	21.48%

Patients Distribution By Illness

AGE	DIABETICS PATIENTS	HYPERLIPEDIMIC PATIENTS	CARDIO-VASCULAR & HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS
Below 25	0.20 %	0.20 %	0.32 %
25-65	45.20%	53%	38.88 %
65-80	44.10 %	39.15 %	45.20 %
Above 80	10.50 %	7.65 %	15.60 %

The number of people working in the dispensaries in 2006 (volunteers and paid staff):

• 2,125 doctors in  30 different specializations (cardiologists, general practitioners, pediatricians, gynecologists, etc.)                                               
• 1,595 administrators, nurses, volunteers, etc.    

The services offered by the participating dispensaries included:

• 181 dispensaries have laboratory and test services                                   
• 317 dispensaries have EKG services                                                       
• 178 dispensaries with dental clinics                                                          
• 248 dispensaries with gynecology clinics
•  95 dispensaries with x-ray machines    
• 115 dispensaries have ultrasound imaging services
• 1 dispensaries have CT SCAN
• 50 dispensaries have EEG
• 18 dispensaries have ocular hypertension
• 1 dispensaries have mamographie