Jan, 2024
A Direct Relief donated shipment of medical aid provides vital medicine for autoimmune disease patients
Amid Lebanon's economic challenges, where the cost of medical treatments has become an obstacle for many, a medical donation arrived earlier this month that has brought a glimmer of hope to individuals battling autoimmune diseases. A partnership between Anera and Direct Relief has resulted in a new shipment of critical supplies, featuring a medication known as adalimumab. This medication specifically targets autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Paget's disease, and Crohn's disease.
IN CONTEXT
Economic Collapse in Lebanon
Since 2020, Lebanon has been in the midst of a severe economic crisis. The country’s currency has collapsed in value. State capacity is minimal. Access to essential services like electricity, water, transportation, healthcare and fuel are increasingly difficult to access and costly for most of the population. The growing risk of a full-scale conflict with Israel threatens to create an acute humanitarian emergency.
Healthcare services have been degraded by low wages and shortages of essential drugs, medical supplies, and equipment. The cost of treatment and medicines has skyrocketed due to the devalued currency at the same time that government subsidies have been discontinued.
Adalimumab, renowned for its high efficacy and minimal side effects compared to other therapies, carries a hefty price tag that often places it out of reach for many patients. Each prefilled pen of this life-changing medication costs ten times as much as the monthly minimum wage for public sector workers in Lebanon.
In response to this threat to health, Direct Relief recently made a generous donation of 569 boxes of adalimumab that Anera has distributed through the Ministry of Public Health to patients in need across the country. This donation not only represents a significant monetary value but, more importantly, translates to securing a month of treatment for approximately 1,700 patients across Lebanon.
"This medication is super expensive, and most people in Lebanon can't afford this treatment."
Rima Kamal, a pharmacist and medical donations coordinator at Anera, emphasizes the vital role of adalimumab in treating autoimmune diseases. She explains,
"This medicine is for people facing problems with their immune system attacking healthy body parts, like joints in rheumatoid arthritis. Patients face enormous joint pain that prevents them from leading a normal life. This medication is super expensive, and most people in Lebanon can't afford this treatment."
Access to adalimumab provides a lifeline for patients to receive the treatment they desperately need and could not otherwise afford. Direct Relief’s act of generosity is a beacon of hope, offering an invaluable impact on patients’ lives, entirely free of charge.
Bassam shares the personal struggle his wife, Sanaa, has faced with familial Mediterranean fever for the past 15 years. Familial Mediterranean fever is an inherited autoinflammatory disorder causing recurrent fever and inflammation, primarily affecting people of Mediterranean descent.
Bassam describes the challenges they faced, saying,
"We used to secure the medication through the National Social Security Funds in Lebanon, but since the crisis, that stopped. We had to get it from the Ministry of Public Health, if they had it, or pay exorbitant prices on the black market."
Sanaa began experiencing rheumatism due to her familial Mediterranean fever, and adalimumab has played a crucial role in controlling her symptoms. Without it, Sanaa would endure tremendous pain and experience irreversible damage to her joints. Access to adalimumab that is uninterrupted is critical for patients’ continued wellbeing.
Anera delivered the donated drugs directly to the Ministry of Public Health warehouses in Karantina for rapid distribution through Meditrack, Lebanon’s platform for tracking chronic disease medications, to ensure it reaches the patients most in need.
This donated shipment is an act of compassion and solidarity, and a testament to the essential impact community support has on safeguarding uninterrupted, life-changing treatments for every patient in need. In a country facing economic hardships, this donation serves as a powerful reminder that, together, we can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
"We used to secure the medication through the National Social Security Funds in Lebanon, but after the crisis, that stopped."
You can help.
Anera delivers quality medicine to vulnerable communities across the Middle East. Every $1 ships $115 worth of medical supplies and healthcare to families in need. With your help, we can do more.
Anera at the pharmacy at the distribution center in Karantina, Beirut.
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