UNICEF: Lebanon's economic crisis severely affecting children's health
April 20, 2022, 5:54 pm

UNICEF: Lebanon's economic crisis severely affecting children's health

Unicef/Pixabay

The Xinhua reported, according to a report released by the United Nations Children's Fund on Wednesday (Apr 20), the ripple effects of the global economic situation, such as higher costs and inflation, are exacerbating Lebanon's crisis, including serious consequences for children's health.

Ettie Higgins, UNICEF's representative in Lebanon, was quoted as saying in a UNICEF statement sent to Xinhua: "With 80 percent of the population living in poverty, many families cannot even afford the cost of transportation to take their children to a health care center, and many are no longer able to provide the food and nutrition their children need to survive and thrive."

Dubbed "A worsening health crisis for children," the report noted that the economic crisis caused disruptions in the health sector which was already beset by a major exodus of medical professionals, a hiring freeze by health facilities and limitations on imports of medications and equipment that have seriously affected the quality of healthcare for women and children.

UNICEF says the ripple effects of the global economic situation, such as higher costs and inflation, are exacerbating Lebanon's crisis, including serious consequences for children's health

It also highlighted the reduction in vaccination rates, which has left children vulnerable to potentially deadly diseases such as measles, diphtheria and pneumonia.

The report added, routine vaccination of children has plummeted by 31 percent when rates already were worryingly low, leaving a large pool of unprotected children exposed to diseases and their impact.

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Higgins was quoted as saying in the statement: "UNICEF reinforces its call to the Lebanese government and all stakeholders to scale up efforts to vaccinate all children against vaccine preventable diseases, and to improve the nutritional well-being of children and women."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”