Psychiatrist

Particularly last one year long socio economic and political instability followed with fall of 2 government and pending formation of third one has been heavily impacted by COVID19 spread in country reaching lately for whole week above 1200 new confirmed cases and blockade of entire settlements and particularly physical destruction/damage caused in wide area of Beirut and Mount Lebanon resulted in not only physical injuries and displacement of population leaving behind 200 deaths and over 6000 to seek immediate medical aid but also affected mental health status of hundreds of thousands residents

Along with host community that bearded the waste majority of impact of financial fall of income and business closures it affected refugee and particularly migrant workers community that felt very limited assistance and support

Although its mental health expertise is internationally renowned, like many countries in the Arab world Lebanon implemented  developed national policy plan on mental health (2015-2020) and is on very beginning of its long-term implementation at the ministerial level due to impact of above mentioned negative at post of Beirut disaster stroked, socio political and economic events

While international community under leadership of Ministry of Public Health enhanced advocacy and demands for more support related to Mental Health subsector budget allocations from different resources is still lacking to meet the high demands and needs for Mental health patients

Lebanon public health is with shortfall of funds due to poor or limited allocation of resources by the donor community and Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon.

It is estimated that the prevalence of mental health disorders in Lebanon is higher than in low-income and war-torn countries due to the routine displacement, war trauma, poverty, unemployment and substance abuse (25.8% according to a study published in 2008 by Elie Karam et al). 

Mental health services in Lebanon at present are mainly institutions/institutionalization oriented for mental health disorders while efforts are made to be spread in community and primary health care level; there is lack of proper equipment and geographical coverage is limited for addressing all the needs of the country and particularly Syrian refugees and migrant workers at this stage f

The entire burden of the mentally ill is left to the family and thus to the local communities, causing a cost to the whole society in terms of development and resources.

The United Nations Migration Agency (IOM- International Organization for Migration0 is launched its mental health pilot project in Lebanon in 2016 particularly within Health Assessment Program supported by UK Home Office  by deploying a psychiatrist and training of Panel Physicians and Migration Health Nurses and by identification of mental health impact of multiyear crisis will assist and support initial assessment, treatment with counselling and provision of psychotropic drugs to identified mental health affected refugees to be resettled in UK.

The project will contribute to continuation of health assistance to identified beneficiaries with mental health problems ensuring the provision of routine mental health services to more than 200 mental health affected beneficiaries following departure from Lebanon and resettlement in UK.

As part of emergency assistance to affected population in Lebanon IOM assists and support host community, Refugee as intensified activities targeting migrant workers while in Lebanon as well facilitating and assisting return to home countries in coordination with Embassies/Consulates, General Security Department, IOM missions in countries of origin and partners

Under the overall supervision of the Head of IOM Office in Lebanon and reporting directly to the Migration Health Officer, the incumbent will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

Objective of the Assignment

The psychiatrist will contribute towards reliable and timely mental health assessments and related service provision of the Migration Health Assessment Center (MHAC) in Jnah, Beirut through routine consultations for the mental health conditions affected beneficiaries and through building capacities of IOM’s health service providers. In addition, s/he will assist with mental health service provision to victims of trafficking and victims of sexual and gender-based violence.

Through the assignment, the psychiatrist will train at least 10 IOM Affiliated health service providers as Panel Physicians and Migration Health nurses in Lebanon and as need raised 3 in the region.

Essential functions

1. Perform psychiatric evaluation, related to the immigration medical examination, upon request of the IOM Panel Physicians, for purposes of screening for mental health disorders.
2. Provide detailed report of the psychiatric evaluation, with working diagnose, recommendation for treatment, detail the follow up needs upon resettlement and advice on transport needs.
3. In close coordination with Chief Medical Officer, Chief Migration Health Nurse, UK VPR Program focal Program and regional Hub in Amman utilize developed and piloted comprehensive Mental Health Assessment tools for assessment of status of beneficiaries to be resettled but not limited to UK through VPR programme.
4. Follow up the psychiatric patients in the departure pipeline; suggest treatment plan changes including medication recommendations for patients who are not improving as expected. Identify and recommend the referral mechanism for additional specialty mental health care such as community-based mental health care and advice on treatment plans until patients are admitted in appropriate care.
5. Provide consultative services to mental health clinic staff including review and evaluating treatment plans, provides medical information relevant to the development of the treatment plan.
6. Oversee the overall operation of the MHAC when it comes to the mental health issues, such as counselling, care and treatment services, drug dispensaries and supply management.
7. Supervise the data management and ensure privacy and confidentiality among service providers.
8. Provide routine on job training sessions to qualified panel physicians and nurses operating in the mental health clinic inclusive development of SOPs
9. Conduct psychosocial and mental health related training sessions at the mental health in clinics in MHAC Jna/ main Office Clinic as well as in the region, as requested.
10.  Liaise with Mental Health facilities where we work, and with the professionals in resettlement countries related to treatment of migrants assisted by IOM.
11. Provide recommendations and suggestion to the development of mental health work plans, in accordance with the policies and legislations of the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon.
12. Medically escort psychiatric patients abroad, as may be required.