Australian Lebanese Medical Association

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:37): Today, I rise to speak about the Australian Lebanese Medical Association, also known as ALMA, and speak about the important work they do. ALMA is a not-for-profit organisation comprised of Australian medical professionals of Lebanese background. They endeavour to provide a forum for professional and social exchange, whilst also promoting the pursuit of charitable endeavours.

ALMA have recently embarked on a fundraising drive to help coordinate and target relief to the Lebanese population in an appropriate and accountable manner. As honourable members will know, in September there was a significant escalation in hostilities with large-scale cross-border Israeli attacks. In less than two weeks 1,800 people were killed and over 6,000 were injured, including civilians, healthcare workers and humanitarian staff.

The World Health Organization also warned that hospitals and healthcare workers were directly under attack and, in October, verified that there had been 23 attacks on healthcare facilities. This is in direct contravention of international humanitarian law, which forbids deliberate attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers. It was reported in October that out of 207 primary healthcare centres and dispensaries in conflict-affected areas, at least 100 were now closed. Hospitals have been closed, and pressure has been increased on the ones that remain open.

The healthcare system in Lebanon was already in a fragile state, under-resourced, understaffed and experiencing medication shortages. It is now under even more extreme pressure. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix, there are more than 300,000 internally displaced people living in shelters. This crisis has uprooted families and cut off access to essential medical care.

In addition to those who have been injured and those who are experiencing traditional medical issues, mass displacement into shelters can create an ideal environment for the spread of infectious diseases. The World Health Organization is already working to stop the spread of cholera amid the conflict. When it comes to medical supplies and resources inside Lebanon, every single region, every single town and every single hospital is stretched to the absolute limit.

Our Australian-Lebanese community has been impacted by the violence and the destruction in their home country. They often seek ways to support their community here in South Australia or help their families from afar. Anyone from a migrant background will know that it is not uncommon to send funds back home. We support our families and where we can we support friends, communities and villages. Naturally, this is what we do in times of crisis: we support one another.

In circumstances like these, the community comes together to support those in need, and I am grateful for the work that ALMA are doing to assist the people of Lebanon in their medical and humanitarian plight. What makes ALMA special is their collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and the United Nations International Organization for Migration. ALMA have an office and a project officer within the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. This allows them to coordinate with the IOM to determine what areas of need they are best able to target and how to distribute medical equipment, supplies and medication to people in need.

This collaboration also means that they receive up-to-date and relevant information. By working in partnership with the IOM and their extensive local networks, ALMA ensure that any funds raised are used to source medical aid locally in Lebanon, which is then coordinated and distributed directly by the IOM in an appropriate and accountable manner.

The people of Lebanon have many wounds that are still raw, and now they are dealing with another crisis. It is due to the response and relief operations of many organisations, including ALMA, that the South Australian Lebanese community can stay hopeful that their loved ones back home will have the necessary medication and supplies they need to stay warm over the winter while they wait for the ceasefire that we all wish to see very soon.