Expanding Safe Hospital Access AM for Overdose Care in Lebanon.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Human Rights

Background:

• Criminalization of drug use in Lebanon leads hospitals to report overdose cases to law enforcement.
• This practice deters individuals who use drugs from seeking critical medical attention, heightening the risk of fatal outcomes.
• The intersection of law enforcement and healthcare settings in Lebanon poses a significant barrier to accessing emergency services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine overdose response as a critical right to health issue within the Lebanese context.
• To analyze the impact of civil society advocacy on hospital practices regarding overdose reporting.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions in safeguarding emergency care access.

Main Methods:

• Nationwide mapping of hospital practices concerning overdose cases from 2016 to 2024.
• Documentation of compliance and noncompliance with Ministry of Public Health directives.
• Qualitative analysis of factors influencing hospital reporting behaviors.

Main Results:

• Despite policy advancements and advocacy, uneven implementation of directives prohibiting police reporting of overdoses persists.
• While some hospitals have ceased reporting, others continue due to staff awareness gaps, liability concerns, and stigmatizing attitudes.
• Civil society monitoring plays a crucial role but faces structural limitations in ensuring access to care.

Conclusions:

• Uneven implementation highlights challenges in safeguarding emergency care access amidst criminalization and weak accountability.
• Incremental policy changes are insufficient when emergency care remains linked to punitive drug policies.
• Protecting the right to health requires a comprehensive approach that separates healthcare from law enforcement interventions.