In Lebanon, where over 1.5 million refugees from Syria have sought shelter, access to healthcare is a critical challenge. Skin diseases and conditions are common among displaced populations due to poor living conditions, lack of medical resources and environmental factors.
However, an innovative collaboration between UK-based Consultant Connect and humanitarian dermatology initiatives is transforming access to specialist dermatology care.
Consultant Connect, a UK health technology company, is widely used across the NHS to provide instant access to specialist advice for general practitioners (GPs).
The same platform has now been adapted to support doctors in Lebanon treating refugees and vulnerable Lebanese populations.
“Consultant Connect provides health services, helping clinicians across the UK get access to the advice and guidance they need to manage their patients,” explains Patrick Keys, Social Value Lead at Consultant Connect. “Through phone calls, photos, and messages, they can get clinical advice and guidance from a specialist colleague.”
The same principle is now being applied in Lebanon, where local doctors can connect with a network of volunteer dermatologists across Europe with expertise in migrant health to receive real-time specialist support.
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Dr Valeska Padovese, co-founder of Bridges2Health&Rights and chair of the Migrant Health Working Group at the International Foundation for Dermatology, is leading the dermatological intervention in Lebanon. “This is a collaboration between an NGO, the International Foundation for Dermatology, and Consultant Connect, which provides in-kind services free of charge for teledermatology consultations,” she explains.
The project started in 2023 with an on-the-ground dermatological needs assessment in Lebanon, focusing on refugee camps in the Bekaa Valley. “In just five days, we saw over 500 patients with dermatological conditions and trained local doctors, including both dermatologists and GPs, to recognise skin diseases in refugees,” says Padovese. “The need was overwhelming — many of the cases were severe and had gone untreated for months or even years.”
According to the UNHCR, Lebanon remains a country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre in the world, with the government estimating that 1.5 million Syrian refugees, 500,000 Palestinian and some 11,238 refugees of other nationalities live in the country.
With the country facing its worst socio-economic crisis in decades and ongoing Israeli attacks in the south, vulnerable populations have been deeply affected by a sharp increase in poverty, gaps in critical supply chains and limitations on access to food, healthcare, education and other basic services. As a consequence, it is estimated that more than half of the Lebanese population is living below the poverty line, while a shocking nine out of ten Syrian refugees require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs.
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Due to ongoing instability in the region, a planned 2024 field trip was postponed. Instead, the team turned to Consultant Connect’s teledermatology platform to continue providing remote support. “We had to be adaptable,” Padovese explains. “Teledermatology allows us to continue providing expert care despite the challenging circumstances.”
“The app is very secure,” she emphasises.
“Photos and patient details are not stored on doctors’ personal devices but are transmitted directly to specialists. We only collect minimal patient information, such as age, gender, symptoms and treatment history, to maintain privacy and safety. This is critical when working with vulnerable populations.”
While diagnosis is a key part of the project, ensuring patients receive appropriate treatment is equally vital. Padovese notes that local partnerships have been crucial in making this possible. “We collaborate with Lebanese dermatologists, local NGOs, and medical institutions like the Lebanese Dermatology Society and the American University of Beirut (AUB). Through these partnerships, we can provide treatment, conduct training, and refer to complex cases when necessary.”
Funding from the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and the International League of Dermatological Societies supports the purchase of essential medications, which are often scarce in Lebanon due to the economic crisis. “Ethically, we cannot just provide a diagnosis without ensuring access to treatment,” Padovese stresses.
Training local doctors is another core element of the initiative. “We don’t want to create dependence – we want to build sustainable healthcare capacity,” says Padovese. “By training Lebanese clinicians and refugee healthcare workers, we ensure that dermatological expertise remains within the community.”
The success of the Lebanon initiative mirrors a similar project in Myanmar, where Consultant Connect was introduced to help local doctors receive specialist dermatology advice. “The principles behind it are the same,” Patrick explains. “It’s about building clinical networks across the world and sharing knowledge with colleagues in need. The relationships that teams like Dr Padovese’s have built are what make these projects successful.”
To overcome language barriers, the app’s interface and consultation questionnaires have been translated into Arabic, ensuring accessibility for local healthcare providers. “This culturally and linguistically sensitive approach significantly reduces barriers to care,” Padovese adds.
The Lebanon teledermatology project is an example of how technology, when combined with humanitarian efforts and strong local partnerships, can address critical healthcare gaps. By providing remote specialist support, training local doctors and ensuring access to essential medications, Consultant Connect and Bridges2Health&Rights are helping to improve healthcare outcomes for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
“There are so few dermatologists in Lebanon, many have left due to the crisis,” Patrick notes. “This platform ensures that even in the most challenging circumstances, local doctors can access the specialist insight they need to provide the best possible care.”
With its scalable model and demonstrated success, this initiative could serve as a blueprint for other regions facing similar healthcare challenges, proving that UK technology can play a crucial role in bridging healthcare gaps across the world.
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