The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed deep concern on Friday regarding the increasing attacks on healthcare workers and facilities in Lebanon amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“We’re deeply concerned about the rising attacks on health workers and facilities in Lebanon. The numbers are quite shocking. There have been 102 deaths and 83 injuries resulting from such attacks,” said WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris during a media briefing in Geneva.
While the WHO records attacks on healthcare, it does not attribute blame.
Harris noted that there have been 55 verified attacks, but the Lebanese Ministry of Health reports significantly higher numbers, as many healthcare workers are killed or injured while off duty.
She emphasized that the healthcare system is already overstretched and losing workers at a critical time.
“Health workers are already overworked and displaced. We continue to lose health workers at the very time when they are needed most,” Harris stated, reiterating that “healthcare is not a target; health workers are not a target.”
She highlighted the struggles faced by residents in accessing healthcare, particularly in areas where hospitals have been attacked. “The hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties, and the system is carrying an enormous burden,” she added.
The situation in Lebanon has worsened since fighting escalated on September 23, following nearly a year of fire exchange.
According to figures from the Ministry of Public Health, the war has resulted in more than 2000 dead in Lebanon.
With AFP
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