A Country of Contrasts
In Lebanon, access to healthcare can change drastically with geography.
A person in Tripoli can find a clinic or pharmacy on nearly every corner, while someone in Hermel or Zahleh might travel hours for the same care.
Using data obtained from the AUB Linked Open Data Portal, I explored how healthcare facilities are distributed across more than 1,100 Lebanese towns. The goal was to understand whether medical services are spread evenly across the country or concentrated in only a few locations.
Uneven Access Across Towns
The data reveals a clear imbalance.
Healthcare services are heavily centralized in urban areas, particularly Tripoli, Saida, and Haret Hreik, which together host the largest share of Lebanon’s medical facilities.
Tripoli alone has more than 230 healthcare establishments, while dozens of smaller towns have fewer than 20 facilities, and some have none at all.
This concentration means that people living in rural and inland areas often need to travel long distances for even basic medical services, while urban hospitals and clinics struggle with overcrowding and high patient loads.
It highlights a system where location determines opportunity, where healthcare is available not based on need, but on proximity to major cities.
What Kinds of Facilities Exist?
When we look at the types of healthcare facilities, pharmacies and clinics dominate the landscape.
They make up the majority of Lebanon’s healthcare infrastructure, far outnumbering hospitals and specialized centers.
While pharmacies and small clinics ensure access to medication and consultations, hospitals and diagnostic centers are much fewer, especially outside major cities.
This shows a healthcare system that leans more on treatment through medication than on preventive or emergency care.
Balancing the Map: How Geography Shapes Access
Together, these findings reveal how geography continues to shape healthcare opportunities in Lebanon.
The concentration of facilities in urban centers not only affects access but also contributes to inequalities in health outcomes.
Urban residents have quicker access to doctors, specialists, and emergency units, while rural populations often rely on limited local clinics or travel hours to reach adequate care.
These patterns underline the urgent need for balanced healthcare investment.
Rural areas require new clinics, laboratories, and emergency units that bring services closer to people’s homes.
Improving healthcare equity is not only a matter of infrastructure, it’s about ensuring that every Lebanese citizen, regardless of location, can access timely, reliable care.
Final Reflection
This analysis shows how data visualization can make inequality visible.
By mapping and quantifying healthcare access, we can move beyond perception and use data to guide smarter, fairer policy decisions.
Ultimately, every dataset tells a story, and in this one, the message is clear:
“Health should not depend on your zip code.”
Tags: healthcare, Lebanon, inequality, data visualization, open data, AUB
This analysis really highlights how location can create major disparities in healthcare access. It reminds me of how important it is to have organized systems in place for scheduling and managing care efficiently. For anyone looking to streamline appointments and records, the UofL online appointment scheduling can be a helpful tool to ensure smoother access and reduce bottlenecks. Hopefully, more initiatives like this can help balance service availability across regions. Great work shedding light on these challenges!