ILMA Conference 2024 - At a Glance!
DAY 1
Strengthening Lebanon's Healthcare Together - A Global Commitment
The International Lebanese Medical Association held a very successful conference at the Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut on July 5-6, 2024.
This significant event brought together key stakeholders to enhance Lebanon’s healthcare system. The event was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health, with Lebanese Health Minister Dr. Firas Abiad in attendance, along with ILMA’s President.
Doctors from around the world, many of Lebanese descent, gathered in Lebanon despite challenging circumstances. Their shared mission was to support their homeland and its people during these difficult times, with a deep connection to Lebanon’s heritage and a strong sense of patriotism.
The International Lebanese Medical Association held a very successful conference at the Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut on July 5-6, 2024.
This significant event brought together key stakeholders to enhance Lebanon’s healthcare system. The event was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health, with Lebanese Health Minister Dr. Firas Abiad in attendance, along with ILMA’s President.
Doctors from around the world, many of Lebanese descent, gathered in Lebanon despite challenging circumstances. Their shared mission was to support their homeland and its people during these difficult times, with a deep connection to Lebanon’s heritage and a strong sense of patriotism.
During the opening ceremony, the International Lebanese Medical Association presented a special award for medical excellence, highlighting its commitment to recognizing and nurturing talent in the medical field.
The ILMA Recognition Awards were given to Minister of Health Dr. Firas Abiad, Dr. Abdul Rahman Bizri, Dr. Bchara Choucair, Dr. Nadey Hakim, Dr. Hassan Hosseini, Dr. Rana Hajjeh, and Dr. Charaf Abou Charaf for their significant contributions to healthcare. The ceremony was further honored by the presence of Mr. Mark Wilt, the director of USAID in Lebanon, representing the US Ambassador, emphasizing international support and collaboration. These awards underscore ILMA’s dedication to acknowledging outstanding achievements and fostering excellence within the medical community.
The ILMA Recognition Awards were given to Minister of Health Dr. Firas Abiad, Dr. Abdul Rahman Bizri, Dr. Bchara Choucair, Dr. Nadey Hakim, Dr. Hassan Hosseini, Dr. Rana Hajjeh, and Dr. Charaf Abou Charaf for their significant contributions to healthcare. The ceremony was further honored by the presence of Mr. Mark Wilt, the director of USAID in Lebanon, representing the US Ambassador, emphasizing international support and collaboration. These awards underscore ILMA’s dedication to acknowledging outstanding achievements and fostering excellence within the medical community.
Additionally, the ILMA-USA Scholarship Program was announced, generously funding scholarships worth $275,000 for Lebanese medical students to study and conduct research in the United States. This initiative underscores ILMA’s dedication to nurturing future medical professionals and advancing academic excellence.
Hands-On Surgical Workshop Highlights
During the ILMA Conference, students had the unique opportunity to participate in a series of hands-on surgical workshops. These sessions were designed to enhance practical skills and provide in-depth knowledge in various surgical techniques. The workshops included:
These workshops provided students with essential skills and confidence for their future surgical careers. Our partner, IJCR Central, organized this successful workshop under the supervision of Dr. Gregory Nicolas and Dr. Jamil Mouawad.
During the ILMA Conference, students had the unique opportunity to participate in a series of hands-on surgical workshops. These sessions were designed to enhance practical skills and provide in-depth knowledge in various surgical techniques. The workshops included:
- Incision, Knots & Sutures
- Intestinal Anastomosis & GI Clinical Vignette
- Airway Management & Intubation (in collaboration with the LAU Clinical Simulation Center)
- Orthopedic Surgery: Tenorrhaphy
These workshops provided students with essential skills and confidence for their future surgical careers. Our partner, IJCR Central, organized this successful workshop under the supervision of Dr. Gregory Nicolas and Dr. Jamil Mouawad.
Disaster Medicine Session
A panel discussion was held between different sectors to discuss emergency management in Lebanon. Disasters often strike without warning, impacting unprepared areas. Effective disaster management involves mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
The panel discussed also the military’s role in securing disaster scenes, providing healthcare during emergencies, and coordinating civilian-military health aid.
Panelists included:
Moderated by Dr. Georgina Aoun Nouaime,(Board Certified in Internal Medicine (2001), MBA (2015), MPH (2023), Disaster Medicine Fellow (2023), President of ILMAUSA discussed disaster preparedness and response.
A panel discussion was held between different sectors to discuss emergency management in Lebanon. Disasters often strike without warning, impacting unprepared areas. Effective disaster management involves mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
The panel discussed also the military’s role in securing disaster scenes, providing healthcare during emergencies, and coordinating civilian-military health aid.
Panelists included:
- Dr. Eveline Hitti, Chairperson of the Department of Emergency Medicine at AUBMC
- Mr. Moustafa Khalife, Head Nurse and Facilitator for Mass Casualty Management at ICRC; BSN and MSN in Hospital Management
- Dr. Claude El Hayek, MD, PhD(c), eMHA
- Mrs. Wahida Ghalayini, Head of the Nursing Department at Rafic Hariri University Hospital and Manager of the Public Health Emergency Operating Center (PHEOC) at the Ministry of Public Health
Moderated by Dr. Georgina Aoun Nouaime,(Board Certified in Internal Medicine (2001), MBA (2015), MPH (2023), Disaster Medicine Fellow (2023), President of ILMAUSA discussed disaster preparedness and response.
DAY 2
Session one: ILMA and Lebanon Working Together
A recent session brought together global experts and Lebanese officials to discuss strategies for strengthening Lebanon’s health sector, focusing on establishing cost-effective clinics and ensuring public health. The International Lebanese Medical Association (ILMA) supports medical education, advances the pharmaceutical industry, and ensures a stable supply of essential medicines.
Key participants included:
Panelists included:
A recent session brought together global experts and Lebanese officials to discuss strategies for strengthening Lebanon’s health sector, focusing on establishing cost-effective clinics and ensuring public health. The International Lebanese Medical Association (ILMA) supports medical education, advances the pharmaceutical industry, and ensures a stable supply of essential medicines.
Key participants included:
- HE Dr. Firass Abiad, Minister of Public Health
- HE Mr. George Bouchikian, Minister of Industry
- Dr. Walid Ahmar, President of The International Lebanese Medical Association
- Mr. Joe Salloum, President of the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists
- Dr. Aniss G. E. Chami, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Vitex Pharmaceuticals, Australia
- Dr. Carol Abi Karam, President of the Syndicate of Pharmaceutical Industries in Lebanon
- Professor Roland Asmar, President of the Foundation-Medical Research Institutes
- Ms. Pamela Zgheib, Head of Mother-Child and School Health Unit, Lebanese Ministry of Public Health
Panelists included:
- Dr. Bilal Abdallah, Chairman of the Health, Labor, and Social Affairs Committee, Lebanese Parliament
- Dr. Nadim Abou Jaoude, Senior Lecturer at the Lebanese University Dental School Post Graduate Program and Clinical Associate in the Department of Orthodontics and Dento-Facial Orthopedics at the American University of Beirut Hospital
- Dr. George Saade, President-Elect of the Lebanese Society of Cardiology and ILMA Lebanon Country Representative
- Dr. Mouhammad Safi, President of the Order of Physicians of Tripoli (LOP Tripoli)
- Dr. Nazem Haffar, Head of the Dentists’ Association in North Lebanon
- Dr. Christian Georges Kettaneh, EMS Medical Director, Lebanese Red Cross
- Dr. Mohamed El Sahili, CEO/CVO at Medland Hospital and Board Member of the African Health Federation, Zambia
- Dr. Salvador Salem, Specialist in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonology, Mexico
- Dr. Mirjam Messo, Family Physician and President of the Swedish Lebanese Medical Association
- Dr. Hani Mhaidli, Head of Spine Surgery Department at Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain
- Major General Mohammed Kheir, General Secretary of the High Relief Committee
- General Danny Al-Bishrawi, Administrative Chief of Military Medicine, Lebanese Army, Lebanon
- Father Michel Abboud OCD, President of Caritas Lebanon
- Mrs. Abir Kurdy Alame, President of the Order of Nurses
The collaboration featured the signing of an agreement between the pharmaceutical sectors of Lebanon and Australia, aiming to create a resilient and accessible healthcare system in Lebanon. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Vitex Pharmaceuticals and Lebanon’s Pharmaline.
Session Two: BUILDING BRIDGES: LEVERAGING THE DIASPORA’S POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN HEALTH RESILIENCE IN LEBANON.
This session focused on strengthening the connections between our organization and Lebanon’s health system through collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Parliament, and relevant unions. The aim was to establish robust foundations for the exchange of expertise and diverse health support, benefiting Lebanon and its population.
Distinguished speakers included:
This session focused on strengthening the connections between our organization and Lebanon’s health system through collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Parliament, and relevant unions. The aim was to establish robust foundations for the exchange of expertise and diverse health support, benefiting Lebanon and its population.
Distinguished speakers included:
- HE Dr. Firass Abiad, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Health
- Dr. Rana Hajjeh, Director of Program Management at the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office
- Dr. Bechara Choucair, Executive Vice President & Chief Health Officer at Kaiser Permanente
- Dr. Ali Mokdad, Chief Strategy Officer of Population Health at the University of Washington
- Dr. Francois Fadell, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care, VA Western New York Health Care, and Associate Professor at the University at Buffalo
- Dr. Nadeen Hilal, Advisor to the Lebanese Minister of Public Health and Consultant in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Lebanon.
The session addressed the current challenges in the Lebanese healthcare sector, highlighted health care inequities and disparities, and discussed both short-term and long-term solutions to improve the healthcare system and access to care. The significant role of the Lebanese medical diaspora was emphasized, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Insights from panelists, including:
These panelists contributed to outlining a path forward for a more resilient health system in Lebanon
Insights from panelists, including:
- Dr. Bilal Abdallah, Chairman of the Health, Labor, and Social Affairs Committee, Lebanese Parliament, and Consultant Dermatologist
- Prof. Abdul El Rahman Bizri, Member of the Lebanese Parliament and Professor of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at AUBMC, Lebanon
- Prof. Nadey Hakim, International Relations Director and Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic London, and Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Imperial College London, UK
- Prof. Mounir Abou Asali, International Education Advisor, Consultant, and Founding Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, LU
- General Danny Bicherrawi, Administrative Chief of Military Medicine, Lebanese Army, Lebanon
- Dr. Gilbert Bejjani, President of the Professional Association of Anesthesiologists and the Belgian Association of Medical Unions, Brussels, Belgium
- Prof. Nada Melhem, Director of the Division of Health Professions, Chair of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program, and Professor of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at AUB
- Prof. Joe El Zein, Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair for Research at the Mayo Clinic
- Dr. Christian Kettaneh, EMS Medical Director – Lebanese Red Cross
These panelists contributed to outlining a path forward for a more resilient health system in Lebanon
Session Three: Building Bridges, Building Brilliance: Lebanon's Medical Education
Medical education is the cornerstone of producing competent and compassionate healthcare professionals. Excellence in clinical and ethical training equips aspiring doctors with the necessary skills to diagnose and treat illnesses effectively while instilling a profound understanding of the ethical responsibilities inherent in their profession. A robust medical education program emphasizes critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and empathy, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and patient-centered care. By prioritizing excellence in research, clinical, and ethical realms, medical education ensures that future physicians not only possess the technical expertise to heal but also the moral integrity to advocate for their patients’ well-being and dignity.
In Lebanon, medical education is vital for maintaining high standards in the healthcare sector. This recent session highlighted the importance of forming teams to create productive programs, exchange research, and assist students to strengthen Lebanon’s medical education.
Notable speakers included:
With moderators:
The panelists featured:
This session underscored the collaborative efforts needed to enhance medical education in Lebanon, ensuring that future generations of physicians are well-prepared to meet the healthcare needs of the community with both technical proficiency and ethical integrity.
Medical education is the cornerstone of producing competent and compassionate healthcare professionals. Excellence in clinical and ethical training equips aspiring doctors with the necessary skills to diagnose and treat illnesses effectively while instilling a profound understanding of the ethical responsibilities inherent in their profession. A robust medical education program emphasizes critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and empathy, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and patient-centered care. By prioritizing excellence in research, clinical, and ethical realms, medical education ensures that future physicians not only possess the technical expertise to heal but also the moral integrity to advocate for their patients’ well-being and dignity.
In Lebanon, medical education is vital for maintaining high standards in the healthcare sector. This recent session highlighted the importance of forming teams to create productive programs, exchange research, and assist students to strengthen Lebanon’s medical education.
Notable speakers included:
- Prof. Joe El Zein, Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair for Research at the Mayo Clinic
- Prof. Mounir Abou Asali, International Education Advisor, Consultant, and Founding Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at LU
With moderators:
- Dr. Francois Abi Fadell, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care, VA Western New York Health Care, and Associate Professor at University at Buffalo
- Prof. Hassan Hosseini, Professor of Neurology, Head of the Stroke Unit, and Founder of ICCE, Paris, France
- Dr. Gregory Nicolas, Faculty in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of São Paulo, Adjunct Professor at LAUMC, and Visiting Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and AIIMS
The panelists featured:
- LAU Dean, Dr. Sola Bahous
- USEK Dean, Dr. Pierre Edde
- USJ Vice Dean, Dr. Eliane Ayoub
- BAU Dean representatives, Dr. Salah Malas and Dr. Amal Al Naous
- SGUB Dean representative, Dr. Ziad Tannous
- LU Dean representatives, Dr. Randa Choueiri and Dr. Hassan Salameh
- UOB Dean representative, Dr. Karim Echtay
This session underscored the collaborative efforts needed to enhance medical education in Lebanon, ensuring that future generations of physicians are well-prepared to meet the healthcare needs of the community with both technical proficiency and ethical integrity.
