U.S. Embassy in Beirut Inaugurates Medical Facilities Supported by USAID

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut's Deputy Chief of Mission Edward White has visited the American University of Beirut Medical Center to celebrate the inauguration of a pathology laboratory and the Lebanese American University Rizk Hospital to celebrate the completion of a delivery and labor unit in the maternity ward, the Embassy said on Tuesday.

Both facilities were renovated through grants by the USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program to reinforce “our long-term partnership with the Lebanese people in education and health,” the Embassy said.

The ribbon cutting ceremonies were held in the presence of ASHA Director Anne Dix and AUBMC and LAU Medical Center leadership and faculty.

DCM White noted, “Our partnership is deeply rooted in our shared vision to save and improve lives, assist those in need, and empower sustainable institutions.”

USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad program provides assistance to schools, libraries, and medical centers outside the United States.

Since its inception in 1947, USAID/ASHA has assisted more than 250 institutions in over 70 countries. ASHA supports construction, renovation and the procurement of scientific, medical and educational equipment.

In Lebanon, ASHA has provided $282 million dollars to its partners over the past decades.

“ASHA’s grants help cultivate positive enduring relationships and mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and Lebanon,” the U.S. Embassy statement said.