Psychologists from UNIFIL Italian contingent recently organized stress management courses for Lebanese doctors and other medical personnel in south-western Lebanon, who have long been at the forefront of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first session was organized in the city of Tyre on 17 October, while the second was held in the town of Al Bazuriyah on 17 November, directly benefitting 25 medical professionals. The courses – organized in coordination with a local NGO called “Amel Association” – strived to address not only the Coronavirus emergency but also the stress associated with Lebanon’s unprecedented economic situation.

The stress management courses provided the participants with a wealth of knowledge, skills and useful tools to address the negative effects of the given situations and to ensure physical, psychological and social well-being of the host population in south Lebanon.

The lead psychologist of the Italian contingent, Lieutenant Stefano Mattia, emphasized on the relationship between stress and pandemic and its concomitant effects on emotional behaviours and relationships both at home and at workplaces.

Established in 1979, Amel Association is a nonprofit, non-confessional Lebanese organization operating across Lebanon and offering support in various sectors like health, psychosocial, child protection and rural development, among others.

This initiative by the UNIFIL Italian peacekeepers is the latest in a series of support, including donations, to the host communities in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

[UN Photos / Warrant Officer Gianluca Carrillo]