Lebanon

Summary: Phase 3. Scale-up delivery at the national or sub-national level  

Lebanon continues to face pressing maternal and newborn health challenges, compounded by economic instability, food insecurity, and strained health systems. According to the World Health Organization  Global Health Observatory, reflecting the widespread micronutrient deficiencies among women. Birth outcome data remain concerning: 9.46 stillbirths per 1,000 total births in 2023. Likewise, 8.74% of births were preterm births in 2020, and 12.6% of newborns with low birthweight in the same year. These indicators are further compounded by a high infant mortality rate of 17.81 per 1,000 live births in 2023, underscoring the urgent need for more comprehensive maternal nutrition interventions.

 The nutrition strategy also mentions micronutrient supplementation acknowledging the need to ensure access to maternal and child nutrition services including maternal infant and young child feeding counselling for the prevention and treatment of child malnutrition.  Additionally, “UNICEF Lebanon Response to Nutrition Crisis” also emphasizes the use of MMS. Emerging global evidence shows that multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS), which includes fifteen essential vitamins and minerals, offers significantly greater benefits.

In Lebanon, assessments of the nutrition situation and supply readiness have been conducted. UNICEF procures MMS and works with the Ministry of Public Health to distribute these supplements to primary health care centers. Lebanon made progress on MMS for pregnant women in 2024. The country finalized and approved a policy that includes MMS within broader nutrition strategies and has a coordination mechanism to support planning and implementation. MMS is distributed through ANC facilities and community platforms and provided free of charge through the public health system. UNICEF also provides it to nutrition sector partners to supply hard-to-reach areas where beneficiaries cannot access nutrition services in primary health care centers. In 2024, 9,541 women received MMS.

(Source: HMHB Survey 2025, NutriDash)

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Summary: Phase 3. Policy Adoption & Early Implementation

UNICEF provides essential BEP supplements in Lebanon to all nutrition sector partners to ensure that individuals at risk of undernutrition receive adequate nourishment in shelters, ITSs, camps, and areas with high food insecurity. In 2022, UNICEF procured Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement for Pregnant and Lactating Women (LNS-PLW; for details refer to the UNICEF Supply Catalogue), Small-Quantity-LNS, and High-Energy Biscuits (HEB). BEP supplements are being provided at the subnational (e.g. province, county, district or state) and national level. The BEP supplements in the ready-to-use products form (e.g., LNS-PLW) are provided from visible/confirmed pregnancy until delivery, but targeting for breastfeeding women is currently being considered.

Source: HMHB Survey 2025

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