WHO and EIB Global Partner to Fund €10 Million Public Health Initiative in Lebanon

The World Health Organization and the European Investment Bank’s development arm, EIB Global, have formally signed an agreement for a ten million euro grant aimed at bolstering public health infrastructure and patient care throughout Lebanon. The partnership was established on March 6, 2025, during the annual European Investment Bank Group Forum held in Luxembourg, bringing together international institutional leadership to address ongoing regional vulnerabilities.

Rebuilding Critical Laboratory Infrastructure

A primary objective of the newly funded initiative is the physical and operational re-establishment of Lebanon’s Central Public Health Laboratory. Central public health laboratories serve as foundational pillars for national health security, enabling disease surveillance, outbreak detection, and diagnostic verification. Prior to this funding agreement, the structural integrity and operational capacity of such facilities faced substantial strain, limiting domestic diagnostic capabilities.

Targeting Chronic Disease Support and Medication Access

Beyond laboratory reconstruction, the joint program places heavy emphasis on direct patient care and resource distribution. According to the announcement, the initiative prioritizes essential medication provision and comprehensive healthcare support designed to reach over fifty thousand individuals suffering from chronic medical conditions. Specifically, the program targets prevalent non-communicable diseases, including:

• Diabetes management and supply distribution
• Cardiovascular disease support services
• Oncology and cancer care resources

By securing a steady supply chain for these critical therapies, the collaborative effort aims to mitigate interruptions in treatment for vulnerable populations who might otherwise experience severe gaps in medical access.

Institutional Leadership and Next Steps

The agreement was finalized through a high-level meeting between Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, and Thomas Östros, Vice-President of EIB Global. While the announcement establishes the financial framework and overarching goals of the ten million euro grant, future implementation updates are expected from both institutions as project milestones for the laboratory reconstruction and medication distribution networks are formally rolled out across Lebanon.