Academic Journal
Mitigating climate-related health risks in Lebanon: implementation of national standards for climate-ready hospitals.
| Τίτλος: | Mitigating climate-related health risks in Lebanon: implementation of national standards for climate-ready hospitals. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Matta E; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Doctoral School of Humanities, Letters, and Social Sciences, Lebanese University, Sin El Fil, Lebanon.; Communication Skills Program, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon., Whaibeh E; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon., Kai L; Climate Change Office, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Environment, Beirut Lebanon., Abi Hanna J; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon.; Institut Supérieur de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon., Abi Nader A; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon.; Institut Supérieur de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine, Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon., Hindi F; Obstetrics and Reproduction Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon., Sanjakdar R; Obstetrics and Reproduction Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon., Abdo H; Central Military Laboratories, Lebanese Army, Beirut, Lebanon., El Khatib R; Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Beirut, Lebanon., Al-Delaimy W; School of Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, United States., Abdulla F; Civil Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan., Malkawi M; Ministry of Health and Prevention, United Arab Emirates., Jradi F; International Organization for Migration (IOM), Beirut, Lebanon., Amer R; International Organization for Migration (IOM), Beirut, Lebanon., Zgheib J; International Organization for Migration (IOM), Beirut, Lebanon., Mrad M; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Public Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon., Abi Tayeh G; Health and Environment Response Agency (HERA), Beirut, Lebanon.; Obstetrics and Reproduction Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. |
| Πηγή: | International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care [Int J Qual Health Care] 2026 Oct 05; Vol. 38 (4). |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9434628 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1464-3677 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13534505 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Qual Health Care Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Oxford : Oxford University Press Original Publication: Kidlington, Oxford, UK ; Tarrytown, NY : Pergamon, c1994- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Hospitals*/standards , Climate Change*, Lebanon ; Humans |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Climate change increasingly disrupts healthcare systems worldwide by simultaneously increasing service demand and undermining infrastructure reliability. Hospitals face escalating risks from extreme weather, energy insecurity, and water scarcity, while contributing nearly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These challenges are particularly acute in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where fragile health systems and resource constraints heighten vulnerability. Lebanon's health sector exemplifies this intersection of climate risk and systemic fragility. This study aimed to develop nationally tailored standards for climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare facilities in Lebanon, translating international climate-health frameworks into actionable, context-specific guidance aligned with national legal and operational realities. Methods: A multiphase methodology was applied, including a scoping review of international standards and guidance (WHO, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 26000), structured consultations with key national and international stakeholders, and synthesis of draft standards into thematic areas. Clauses were aligned with existing Lebanese environmental and health legislation to ensure compliance and to prioritize urgent mandatory actions over longer-term strategic actions. Results: The resulting standards comprise 10 thematic areas covering governance, environmental management, climate emergency preparedness, community engagement, sustainable procurement, and performance monitoring. Legal screening enabled phased implementation, distinguishing urgent compliance-driven actions from longer-term strategic enhancements. Implementation assessment demonstrated that the standards could guide gap identification, cost estimation, and prioritization of climate-resilience investments at facility level. Conclusion: Climate-resilient healthcare standards for Lebanon provide a practical framework for strengthening service continuity during climate shocks while reducing the sector's carbon footprint. Institutionalization and MoPH-led enforcement will be essential for long-term uptake. (© The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Quality in Health Care.) |
| References: | Health Policy Plan. 2020 Jul 1;35(6):684-700. (PMID: 32268354) Int J Qual Health Care. 2023 Feb 24;35(1):. (PMID: 36738157) Cureus. 2024 Jan 3;16(1):e51571. (PMID: 38313940) Int J Qual Health Care. 2021 Mar 5;33(1):. (PMID: 33693895) East Mediterr Health J. 2007 Jan-Feb;13(1):138-49. (PMID: 17546916) Int J Qual Health Care. 2014 Jun;26(3):321-9. (PMID: 24796491) |
| Grant Information: | Harnessing Synergies Between Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction in Migrant-Inclusive Health System Responses; Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Lebanon; MENA region; climate change; climate-resilient health systems; environmental sustainability; healthcare standards |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260925 Date Completed: 20261008 Latest Revision: 20261010 |
| Update Code: | 20261010 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13648154 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/intqhc/mzag150 |
| PMID: | 42788343 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1464-3677 |
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| DOI: | 10.1093/intqhc/mzag150 |