It was a small news article, easy to miss. Turkish hospitals and hotels are refusing to receive any new patients from Libya. The debt has grown too high, as Turkish hospitals treated more than 8,000 Libyans sent to them for care, and the bills have not been paid.
Why are so many Libyans sent out of country for care? After too many years of civil war and instability, and the growing presence of ISIS, the health care system in Libya is unable to cope.
Syria and Iraq get the bulk of media attention, but life in Libya is difficult for many. Half of the population has been directly affected by war. Two million residents are in need of health services, and there are nearly three quarters of a million refugees and displaced people in Libya.
Large organizations like the World Health Organization are focused on delivering basic care to large swaths of the population—providing childhood vaccines and preventing communicable diseases.
But with limited hospitals functioning in Libya, a shortage of health care workers, and limited funding, children with acute health needs like those born with heart defects can’t get care.
That’s where we come in.
We aren’t afraid of the challenges in Libya. In fact, this is a country where we can make a real difference!
We provide surgeries for children with the most complicated heart defects—saving lives. We perform surgeries in-country, which is not only cheaper than sending patients out for treatment, but keeps precious dollars and resources in Libya where it’s so needed.
We provide local doctors and nurses with the expert training they need. They are able to learn global best practices, from some of the world’s best practitioners, within their own communities. This hands-on learning is put to work immediately, saving the lives of Libyan children.
We provide continuity, returning throughout the year to care for more children and to further the education of local health care professionals. In a place so unstable, our continued presence provides needed stability!
In the face of civil war, instability, ISIS, and massive systemic needs, we aren’t running away.
In fact we’re investing further. Join us in making a real difference by donating today.