Strengthening Emergency Medical Services in Lebanon

Abstract

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Lebanon are underutilised, dispersed, and inadequately managed in terms of infrastructure, financial resources, personnel, and equipment. Low EMS utilisation rates, delayed emergency response, and poor out-of-hospital survival outcomes such as Beirut's 5% cardiac arrest survival rate are all caused by these system-level issues. The lack of a regulating organisation, the absence of national training and treatment standards, and the precarious financial viability of EMS agencies are all contributing concerns. This policy brief suggests a thorough strategy to deal with these problems. First, formalised training and certification procedures, as well as the standardisation of pre-hospital medical procedures, are essential for enhancing the quality of EMS care. Second, lowering morbidity and mortality requires improving EMS practitioners' technical skills, particularly in Basic Life Support (BLS). Third, EMS sustainability can be enhanced by expanding funding through foreign assistance, corporate sector participation, and community-based funding. Campaigns to raise public awareness, better coordination between hospital and pre-hospital care, and overcoming opposition to accreditation reforms are all necessary for effective implementation. For Lebanon's EMS to be strengthened and patient outcomes to be improved, a strong regulatory framework, precise guidelines, and sufficient budget allocation are necessary.