Local vision, global impact: The Global Health Institute transforms lives

Across Lebanon’s refugee camps, health centres serve hundreds of patients each day, many with acute and chronic health needs. Many refugees come without the medical records, X-rays, medication information or test results needed to treat chronic health conditions. Some live with diabetes, life-altering injuries, heart conditions, autoimmune disorders and other illnesses. Others need reproductive, maternal and child health services. 

Without a medical history, healthcare staff are in the dark — and the health of displaced populations is at risk. Understanding the need for continuity of care, the Global Health Institute (GHI) stepped in to address this gap. They worked with healthcare software company Epic to create Sijilli. This platform grants Syrian and other displaced persons direct, secure access to their medical records, no matter where they are in the world. Each person receives a USB stick that contains their health data, which is also securely available in the cloud to health professionals anywhere.  

Holistic, evidence-based health solutions

Sijilli is one among many examples of how the GHI is making a difference in the lives of disadvantaged and displaced populations in Lebanon and beyond. Hosted at the American University of Beirut (AUB) since 2017, the Institute is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — and one of very few based in the Global South.  Rather than identify and research a problem, their interdisciplinary teams co-produce solutions to address issues with localized knowledge and contextual nuance.   

“We did not want to be a classical academic entity that only does research. Instead, we bring together academics, people with lived experience, engineers and healthcare workers to address health issues impacting refugee and displaced populations,” explains Dr. Shadi Saleh, founding director at GHI.

From vision to reality

Dr. Saleh first shared his vision for a MENA-led Global Health Institute with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in 2016.  Building on IDRC’s longstanding support to AUB for global health research, the discussion converged on the opportunity to establish an interdisciplinary platform to connect researchers, policymakers, governments and communities to tackle complex global health challenges.  

Lebanon and the MENA region are experiencing recurring armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, climate shocks and economic volatility, further straining underperforming health systems – a reality the region has faced for decades. The result has been emerging disease challenges, population displacement, shortage of human and financial resources, and other factors that contribute to poor health outcomes.   

“At the time, research and work on global health failed to nurture and learn from the evidence and experiences coming out of the Global South, and MENA specifically,” says Dr. Saleh. “Many of the world’s problems happen in this region.”  

IDRC provided CAD 1.7 million in catalytic seed funding to launch the GHI. Since then, the Institute’s programs, services and research have attracted additional funding to support the MENA region during multiple waves of instability.

Improving the lives of displaced populations

Conflicts in Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, and Iraq were a major issue when the GHI was first established. As tensions continued to rise, civilians were losing their homes, getting seriously wounded and experiencing extreme strain on their mental well-being. 

“Our early vision was to focus on current issues: refugees and conflicts. One of the first programs we launched was the Refugee and Migrant Health Program, which supports the physical and mental health needs of people displaced by conflicts,” explains Dr. Saleh. “The more we worked in the field, the more we unearthed needs and expanded our programs.” 

This work led to the founding of the Conflict Medicine Program. The groundbreaking initiative is the first of its kind within a civilian academic institution to address conflict-related health needs. It brings together professionals across different specialties to design solutions to treat and rehabilitate civilians suffering the complex physical, psychological and social impacts of war.    

“Properly understanding the dynamics of the relationship between war, political conflict, and human health is a necessary precursor to creating systems that can accumulate experience in the field and transform it into expertise for the benefit of the wounded and the sick,” says Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, founding director of the Conflict Medicine Program. 

The knowledge generated through this work is helping advance approaches to conflict-related health challenges in humanitarian settings beyond the region. 

Catalytic investment and trust build impact in the Global South

Dr. Saleh describes the GHI as a “link in a chain” that’s closing the gap in quality of life for displaced and vulnerable populations. Based in the region it serves, it’s producing and shaping evidence, policy and practice.    

“The relationship with IDRC has continued to be a mutually respectful partnership, rather than an arm’s-length funding agency and funded organization relationship. We consider IDRC colleagues as co-creators. They serve as a trusted sounding board in many of our initiatives,” says Dr. Saleh. 

Since receiving the initial seed funding from IDRC, the GHI has mobilized close to USD 15 million from other funding partners. IDRC has provided an additional CAD 3.8 million in funding, which has supported several other transformative global health projects.  

Main image credit: Ahmad Kamh / Postray