On December 4, 2020, four months post the Beirut port blast, a small group of fourth year students in the Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program at the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences conducted a training-of-trainers workshop on the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases.
The workshop, held at the Karantina hospital in Beirut, was organized by Dr. Jomaa in collaboration with Khaddit Beirut, an initiative developed by experts from several AUB faculties and community partners, aims to create an evidence-based, community-led, locally-driven roadmap for Beirut's recovery.
Workshop participants included community health workers and health care professionals; the sessions included nutrition education, interactive discussions, and activities on how best to manage cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes with adequate medical nutrition therapy and lifestyle behaviors. Workshop materials were shared with participants to become part of their health services for interaction with community residents and hospital beneficiaries in the Karantina area, whose residents were deeply affected by the catastrophic port blast while facing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic and the current economic crisis. Khaddit Beirut aspires to expand this local experience for global relevance.
