LGBT Health Week 2019

With the support of the ARCUS fund, our 3rd annual LGBT Health Week came about in March 2019! Under this year’s slogan “امتياز بلا تمييز”,”Excellence Without Discrimination”, this year’s LGBT Health Week kick-started. 

March 12: Improving Equity in the Provision of Palliative Care in Lebanon Roundtable Discussion 

Our Health Week started with an expert round table discussion focusing on the scope of palliative care in addressing the care needs of certain marginalized communities in Lebanon. Hosted by Balsam, the Lebanese Center for Palliative Care, the discussion tackled the improvement of palliative care amongst not only LGBT individuals, but also that of migrant workers and prisoners. Speakers at this roundtable discussion included the Co-founder and Head of Treatment Program at Skoun, Chief of Health at UNHCR, Captain at the Inspectorate General-Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Interior, and Caseworker at the Anti Racism Movement. 

March 16 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Across the Lifespan – CME Conference 

A CME conference at the Lebanese Order of Physicians, titled “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Across the Lifespan” took place. A full day medical conference attended by over 150 health care professionals of diverse fields and specialties, where topics related to the bettering of health and mental health care services received by LGBT individuals were discussed. These included sexual orientation change efforts, substance use and addictions, legal issues facing the LGBT community, mental health, gender identity and sexual health for LGBT youth, LGBT health policy, approaches towards LGBT-affirming environments, as well as mental and sexual health in LGBT older adults. Click here to watch parts of the CME conference. 

Leader in LGBT Health Equity Award 

For the 5th year in a row, LebMASH has presented a new awardee for the Leader in LGBT Health Equity award. During our CME conference, Dr. Aimee Karam, President of Lebanese Psychological Association, accepted this award for always being outspokenly supportive of LGBT individuals’ physical and mental health. So thank you, and congratulations Dr. Karam! 

Click here to view Dr. Karam’s award acceptance speech.