WHO chief says Lebanon health system ‘struggling to cope’

People, who fled their homes in the south of Lebanon, take refuge in a car park in the southern city of Sidon on September 29, 2024. Agence France-Presse

GENEVA — The World Health Organization chief warned Tuesday that Lebanon’s health system was struggling to keep up, after Israel escalated airstrikes and launched ground raids into the country.

“The death toll in Lebanon is rising, and hospitals are overwhelmed with the influx of injured patients,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on X.

“The health system has been weakened by successive crises and is struggling to cope with the immense needs,” he said, adding that WHO was scaling up its response.

READ: Israeli forces start ‘targeted ground raids’ in south Lebanon

Israel shifted its focus last month from the war in Gaza, which was sparked by the October 7 attacks by Iran-backed Hamas, to securing its northern border with Lebanon.

More than 1,000 people have died since last week, in fighting that has included Israeli strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs.

Tedros said that he had met with Arab League ambassadors in Geneva to discuss the situation.

“We agreed that patients, health workers and civilians, including refugees, must be protected and offered the health care they need,” he said.

READ: ‘Sickening cycle of escalation’ in Mideast must stop: UN chief

He stressed that WHO had been working closely with the Lebanese health ministry “to ensure hospitals have enough medical supplies and health workers are trained for mass casualty events, as well as to maintain essential health services for the most vulnerable”.

“But more help is needed.” he said.

Tedros insisted though that “what the people of Lebanon, Gaza, Israel and throughout the Middle East need is peace”.

“The violence must end to prevent more loss and suffering. Any further escalation of the conflict will have catastrophic consequences for the region,” he warned.

“The best medicine is peace.”