Julien Raickman, MSF’s Head of Mission in Lebanon, just shared this update from the ground in Beirut:

"Before the explosion, the public system was struggling to handle the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Since then, there has been a very steep rise in reported COVID-19 cases in Lebanon, especially in Beirut. There have been more than 1,500 new cases in a week."

This concern encapsulates what our teams are up against in Lebanon: The twin catastrophes of COVID-19 and the recent port explosion have exacerbated years of economic decline that have left families throughout Lebanon insecure and afraid for their futures.

That’s why we wanted to share some exciting news. The Lawrence Foundation generously offered to match the first gift of every new monthly supporter, up to $50,000, this month. Compassionate supporters like you stepped up in a big way and I'm so excited to announce we met that match just hours ago!

However, we’re still short of our goal of 2810 new monthly donors in August to continue our pandemic response. We need just 113 more people to join our newest monthly donors—and I’m personally asking you to be one of them.

Will you make your first monthly gift and join Doctors Without Borders’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and help us provide essential medical care around the world—including disaster zones like Lebanon?

Right now in Beirut, our teams are on the ground delivering first-aid dressings and surgical masks. We’ve mobilized an emergency team of nine psychologists to provide psychological first aid. Your monthly gift support helps reinforce these critical services in Lebanon and more than 70 other countries around the world.

But Lebanon is only the tip of the iceberg. In northwestern Yemen, our teams are supporting four hospitals in Sana’a and Aden, and providing direct medical care to patients with respiratory symptoms. 

Become a monthly supporter of Doctors Without Borders today to help us respond to medical emergencies around the world.

Medical aid was urgently needed before the pandemic, and now the need is greater than ever. Thank you for your support in this vital work.

Melanie Sovern
Field Partner Program Manager
Doctors Without Borders USA