United Arab Emirates,  September 07, 2020:  Philips Foundation, with its mission to provide access to quality healthcare for disadvantaged communities, has deployed a modular field hospital consisting of 20 beds that will provide much-needed additional capacity for victims of the recent explosion in Beirut. 

Philips Foundation, together with Philips Lebanon, is working with the Lebanese Army to set up the unit next to the military hospital in Beirut. The field hospital aims to expand medical care and ease pressure on the healthcare infrastructure in and around the capital. This support is much needed as Lebanon reels from the recent catastrophe, which came on top of existing humanitarian crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing refugee situation. 

 

The 20-bed inflatable modular tent can be equipped to deal with various types of disaster relief, including the provision of first aid and the support of patient hospitalization. In line with its mission to make quality healthcare accessible to all, Philips Foundation will also make the hospital available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Depending on the urgency, the tent can also be used for refugees in need of critical care.

 

“We are deeply saddened by the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the explosion in Lebanon. Such times make our commitment to continuously improving people’s lives even more important,” Vincenzo Ventricelli, CEO, Philips Middle East and Turkey, commented. “We are honored to be working with the Philips Foundation and the Lebanese Army to deploy an impactful solution that can help make quality healthcare accessible to as many people as possible during this difficult period. The field hospital can be customized to serve multiple purposes, and we are happy that it will also be beneficial over the longer-term, helping COVID-19 patients as well as refugees.”

 

The Philips Foundation worked closely with the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) in transport and coordination of the field hospital, enabling much-needed access to critical care to those who are impacted by the catastrophes Lebanon is facing.

 

“This action reflects Philips Foundation’s commitment to providing healthcare access, even in times of crisis,” said Margot Cooijmans, Director of the Philips Foundation. “Working with the Lebanese Army and the European Commission, which has overseen the unprecedented emergency in Lebanon from the outset, underlines the importance and relevance of cooperation with partners in enabling this essential emergency response.”

 

The mobile care unit is part of a broader international project by the coalition of Philips Foundation, AFAS Foundation and Noaber Foundation. The project already procured and deployed five temporary 20-bed hospitals, with an initial focus on areas heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.