National collaboration
The Academic Network for Development Dialogue at Qatar University selected the Faculty of Public Health at the Lebanese University to present a research abstract within the network's series of research papers entitled: "Building on the similarities between Arab countries to promote sustainable development", during a workshop to be organized on September 4 and 5, 2022.
Prof. Maha Hoteit, Master Officer in Clinical Nutrition and Public Health at the Faculty, will participate in the workshop through a study - the first of its kind in Lebanon and the Arab world - related to the assessment of food culture among young age groups (between 10 and 19 years) and their families in Lebanon and the Arab countries.
The results of the study, supported by ESCWA, pave the way for the inclusion of nutrition in the Lebanese and Arab educational curricula, noting that the implementation of the project to introduce nutrition in school curricula requires a well-studied action plan in coordination with the Ministries of Education and Higher Education and Public Health.
Professor Hoteit stresses that such a step, if taken, is one of the most important opportunities to protect the health of young people in society by providing them with food education to make healthy food choices inside and outside school, in addition to alleviating the health burdens of chronic food-related diseases such as obesity, which begins to be dangerous in the early stages and is caused by unhealthy eating habits.
The Lebanese University, in cooperation and coordination with the Regional Office of the World Health Organization represented by Dr. Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, launches, within days, the electronic application (NAS-Nutrition Assessment System) or diet assessment.
The first application of its kind in Lebanon and the region, funded by the WHO Nutrition Unit/Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, is a structured electronic approach to provide important and reliable information on which to base decision-making, and constitutes an advanced achievement in the methods of electronic survey and rapid assessment in emergency situations and technical safety to measure nutritional indicators or dietary habits of peoples.
The idea of the application was launched through a national study to monitor the state of food security among the Lebanese people during successive crises, the results of which were published in an international scientific journal under the title:
Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study
The design and implementation of the application was supervised by Dr. Maha Hoteit, Head of the Nutrition Department at the Faculty of Public Health - First Branch in coordination with Dr. Youssef El-Atat from the Faculty of Science - Fourth Branch at the Lebanese University.
It is noteworthy that the application was registered as a technical monument/information program in the Intellectual Property Protection Department of the Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon on October 13, 2021.
The Lebanese University established an agreement on 7 October 2019 with Beirut Marathon Association which is an NGO that aims to encourage youth people and especially students to run for a social issue, and to organize marathon yearly for this objective.
Beirut Marathon Association
The Lebanese University established agreements with several hospitals in Lebanon enabling the students of the medical sciences faculty to develop their skills and knowledge by performing training and writing reports about diagnosed diseases, such as:
With Nabih Berry University hospital an agreement was signed on 5 September 2015.
Nabih Berry University hospital
With Cheikh Ragheb Harb Hospital an agreement was signed on 27 November 2014.
Cheikh Ragheb Harb Hospital
With Rafic Hariri University Hospital an agreement was signed on 1 April 2019: this agreement concerns especially the Psychologists students from the faculty of human sciences.
Rafic Hariri University Hospital
Lebanese University doctors at Hariri Hospital send a message to the Lebanese through the new
The American University of Beirut AUB, department of family medicine, an agreement was signed on 8 July 2019 aiming to deliver training program for general practitioners and to ensure training materials and logistic support.
An agreement was signed with Babda public hospital on 1 November 2007.
An agreement was signed with the Getawi University Hospital on 4 April 2014.
An agreement was signed with AL Machrek Hospital.
An agreement was signed on 2007 with the Mount Lebanon hospital.
An agreement was signed with Beirut public Hospital.
A blood donation campaign at the Lebanese University was made at the Faculty of Public Health (Branch 4). In cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross, the Lebanese University - Faculty of Public Health (Branch 4) and “Doctors Without Borders” organized a blood donation campaign on May 3, 2019, with the participation of the Faculty’s director, students, professors, and employees.
In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ministry of Industry, the Lebanese University, through the National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals (LFDCA), participates in the Ministry's campaign related to food safety.
48 male and female students of the Master and Doctorate levels in the College of Public Health and the Higher Institute of Doctorate in Science and Technology are participating with the technical teams of the Ministry in the periodic inspection of industrial institutions to inspect the application of basic standards related to food safety.
Under the patronage of the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, the National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals of the Lebanese University held its 2nd scientific conference entitled: "Pollution, Health Quality, Reality and Prospects - Field Studies & Research", at the Rafik Hariri University Compound – Hadath.
Dr. Nazih Bou Chahine, Center Director, praised the Center’s role, which aspires to become a scientific platform and meeting place for researchers of private universities, institutions and ministries, where vital topics are raised about food, water and drug safety. He added that the Center gave credibility to reports and analyzes by relying on quality standards and became adopted by the Ministry of Public Health. He also revealed that the World Health Organization gave a preliminary approval to the accreditation of the National Pharmacovigilance Center, as an official national center to be included in its global network system. He also announced the possession of the Food and Water Laboratory for Microbiological Analysis of an ISO certificate, through the efforts of a diverse work team with considerable experience.
With the National Commission for Lebanese women, the Occupational Therapy and Midwifery departments of the Faculty of Public Health of the Lebanese University held the scientific day on the theme of "Mental Health" that took place on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at the Lebanese University - Hadath Campus, conference hall of the Industrial Research Institute.
On 8 June 2020, the LU launched the Lebanese University Task Force (LUTF) in the presence of the Ministers of Public Health and Industry, which is a volunteer and trained team from various faculties capable of moving quickly on all Lebanese territories in case of any emergencies, in coordination with the concerned local and foreign authorities. The LUTF operated effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the Beirut Port blast.
After the 4th of August during which Lebanon witnessed the Beirut Port Explosion, a huge number of students joined the LUTF to assist the injured and people with damaged houses. In the LUTF, 700 students of psychological specialization were dedicated to assist patients with PTSD cases and provide care at home for those in need. In addition to the two key problems facing the country, COVID-19 and the Beirut Port Blast, interest was given to various relevant medical studies, such as mental health study, a study warning from hormone-injected food, and a study on early detection of diabetes type 2.
In alliance with Centre MINE: Mental Health Online Seminar, Preparing Ourselves and Our Students to Engage the Fall Semester during This Challenging Crisis Situation
Crisis Intervention Unit (LU Task Force), Students of the Department of Psychology at the Lebanese University - Faculty of Letters & Human Sciences concluded Phase 1 of the "psychological assessment" for people affected by the Beirut port explosion, within “Nehna Haddak” initiative, one of the teams of the LU Task Force (LUTF).
The volunteer students thanked Dean Rabah after issuing a decision to count their volunteering hours as part of their training to obtain permission to practice the profession.
National vaccination campaign against measles and polio. The University Health Center at the Lebanese University - Hadat - participates in the national vaccination campaign against measles and polio.
Among the distinguished humanitarian initiatives, students of the Faculty of Information launched an awareness campaign under the slogan "Grant to give life" to promote organ donation in cooperation and coordination with the National Organization for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant (NOD).
"Give, to Give Life" is the slogan of a voluntary initiative with humanitarian objectives initiated by the LU students – Faculty of Information, Branch 1 (1st year – Public Relations), within the framework of the applied part of the course (Public Relations & Advertising) under the supervision of Dr. Hatem Al-Zain.
The idea of the volunteer project started in November of the academic year (2019 - 2020), and turned into an awareness campaign for organ donation in cooperation with the “National Organization for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant” (NOD).
In cooperation with the Lebanese University - Faculty of Public Health and under the auspices of the General Foundation, the Social Health Center of Mayrouba launched a mammography service.
The launch of the service was carried out in partnership with Ashqout Development Services Center, Kfardebian Relief Center, Hrajel Primary Health Care Center, and Raashine Municipal Clinic. The event was attended by Dean Nina Saadallah Zeidan, Mrs. Mona Dahdah, MP Chamel Roukoz, Mr. Henry Massad, as well as several mayors and priests.
In her speech, Dean Zeidan stressed that health is a right for all and must be among the national priorities to preserve the spirit of partnership and solidarity.
Besides, Dr. Saliba stressed that the principle of "health for all" has not been achieved, deploring the fact that the disease burden is the responsibility of the citizen and the private sector, while state intervention is not sufficient.