The 2020 blast in the Port of Beirut: can the Lebanese health system “build back better”?

Landry, Michel D.; Alameddine, Mohamad; Jesus, Tiago S.; Sassine, Saydeh; koueik, elie; Raman, Sudha R.

doi:10.1186/s12913-020-05906-y

Cited by 22 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…This review complements recent reports (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) and further provide an in-depth analysis of the Beirut blast and its health and environmental implications, and suggests actionable recommendations and strategies.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast: Analysis, Review, and Recommendations

Al-Hajj

Dhaini

Mondello

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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A massive chemical detonation occurred on August 4, 2020 in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon. An uncontrolled fire in an adjacent warehouse ignited ~2,750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate (AN), producing one of the most devastating blasts in recent history. The blast supersonic pressure and heat wave claimed the lives of 220 people and injured more than 6,500 instantaneously, with severe damage to the nearby dense residential and commercial areas. This review represents one of the in-depth reports to provide a detailed analysis of the Beirut blast and its health and environmental implications. It further reviews prior AN incidents and suggests actionable recommendations and strategies to optimize chemical safety measures, improve emergency preparedness, and mitigate the delayed clinical effects of blast and toxic gas exposures. These recommended actionable steps offer a starting point for government officials and policymakers to build frameworks, adopt regulations, and implement chemical safety protocols to ensure safe storage of hazardous materials as well as reorganizing healthcare system disaster preparedness to improve emergency preparedness in response to similar large-scale disasters and promote population safety. Future clinical efforts should involve detailed assessment of physical injuries sustained by blast victims, with systemic mitigation and possible treatment of late blast effects involving individuals, communities and the region at large.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast: Analysis, Review, and Recommendations

Al-Hajj

Dhaini

Mondello

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…One reason behind this surge is that many people have been unable to follow precautionary measures, such as social distancing, during the relief efforts in Beirut. Also, some of the major hospitals have been partially or heavily damaged as a result of the huge blast at Beirut's port [ 35 , 36 ]. MoPH reported that almost all COVID-19 beds are full and hospitals are running out of space for new patients by the time of writing this paper.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenge of forecasting demand of medical resources and supplies during a pandemic: A comparative evaluation of three surge calculators for COVID-19

et al. 2021

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Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic, there has been a public health debate concerning medical resources and supplies including hospital beds, intensive care units (ICU), ventilators and protective personal equipment (PPE). Forecasting COVID-19 dissemination has played a key role in informing healthcare professionals and governments on how to manage overburdened healthcare systems. However, forecasting during the pandemic remained challenging and sometimes highly controversial. Here, we highlight this challenge by performing a comparative evaluation for the estimations obtained from three COVID-19 surge calculators under different social distancing approaches, taking Lebanon as a case study. Despite discrepancies in estimations, the three surge calculators used herein agree that there will be a relative shortage in the capacity of medical resources and a significant surge in PPE demand if the social distancing policy is removed. Our results underscore the importance of implementing containment interventions including social distancing in alleviating the demand for medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic in the absence of any medication or vaccine. The paper also highlights the value of employing several models in surge planning.

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“…Moreover, the PRE-RE-SyST model follows the assumption that disability disparities, exacerbated and made more visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, can foster greater social awareness and provide opportunities for change towards a more inclusive society, after the pandemic [ 72 , 117 ]. This assumption is aligned with the “build back better” framework which positions disasters as an opportunity to build more resilient systems, [ 118 ] as well as the more recent “build back fairer” framework, aimed at breaking cycles of inequality [ 119 , 120 ]. The latter fosters the adoption of equity-oriented approaches to population health and development toward building more resilient societies, better prepared to weather future pandemics and other emergencies (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PREparedness, REsponse and SySTemic transformation (PRE-RE-SyST): a model for disability-inclusive pandemic responses and systemic disparities reduction derived from a scoping review and thematic analysis

Jesus

Kamalakannan

Bhattacharjya

et al. 2021

Int J Equity Health

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Background People with disabilities (PwD) have been facing multiple health, social, and economic disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, stemming from structural disparities experienced for long time. This paper aims to present the PREparedness, RESponse and SySTemic transformation (PRE-RE-SyST): a model for a disability-inclusive pandemic responses and systematic disparities reduction. Methods Scoping review with a thematic analysis was conducted on the literature published up to mid-September 2020, equating to the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven scientific databases and three preprint databases were searched to identify empirical or perspective papers addressing health and socio-economic disparities experienced by PwD as well as reporting actions to address them. Snowballing searches and experts’ consultation were also conducted. Two independent reviewers made eligibility decisions and performed data extractions on any action or recommended action to address disparities. A thematic analysis was then used for the model construction, informed by a systems-thinking approach (i.e., the Iceberg Model). Results From 1027 unique references, 84 were included in the final analysis. The PRE-RE-SyST model articulates a four-level strategic action to: 1) Respond to prevent or reduce disability disparities during a pandemic crisis; 2) Prepare ahead for pandemic and other crises responses; 3) Design systems and policies for a structural disability-inclusiveness; and 4) Transform society’s cultural assumptions about disability. ‘Simple rules’ and literature-based examples on how these strategies can be deployed are provided. Conclusion The PRE-RE-SyST model articulates main strategies, ‘simple rules’ and possible means whereby public health authorities, policy-makers, and other stakeholders can address disability disparities in pandemic crises, and beyond. Beyond immediate pandemic responses, disability-inclusiveness is needed to develop everyday equity-oriented policies and practices that can transform societies towards greater resiliency, as a whole, to pandemic and other health and social emergencies.

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The 2020 blast in the Port of Beirut: can the Lebanese health system “build back better”?

Cited by 22 publications

References 5 publications

Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast: Analysis, Review, and Recommendations

Beirut Ammonium Nitrate Blast: Analysis, Review, and Recommendations

Challenge of forecasting demand of medical resources and supplies during a pandemic: A comparative evaluation of three surge calculators for COVID-19

PREparedness, REsponse and SySTemic transformation (PRE-RE-SyST): a model for disability-inclusive pandemic responses and systemic disparities reduction derived from a scoping review and thematic analysis

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