Gladys N. Honein-Abouhaidar

I obtained my bachelor degree in Nursing and then my Master in Public Health from the American University of Beirut (AUB). I worked in two gulf countries. I then moved to Canada to obtain my PhD in health services research from the University of Toronto. I was fortunate enough to work with a research team based at Cancer Care Ontario. My main interest was looking at equity in screening for colorectal cancer, the impact of public health policies on screening participation. In 2015, I moved back to my native country Lebanon and my alma mater AUB. I am currently an Assistant Professor in Public and Community Health Nursing. I am also the vice-president of SAID NGO, whose mission is to increase awareness and early detection of colorectal cancer.

On August 4, 2020 at 6:05 PM, I just left my office when a big explosion rocked the city of Beirut. Hundreds of individuals died, thousands were injured, and millions in dollars of properties destroyed. My immediate response was to relief individuals’ pain and suffering. But soon after I realized that my mission is beyond crisis response. It is creating a primary health care system that is responsive to community needs. Currently, Lebanon is going through an unprecedented crisis in it’s recent history. My role is identifying pressing health priorities, i.e. access to medications, access to health services, and other basic needs such as food, and finding a mechanism to meet those needs. I am cognizant that my efforts do not commensurate with the needs but I am trying to make small differences whenever is possible.

Primary health care system research, colorectal cancer screening research.