19 November 2023, Beirut, Lebanon – On 16 November 2023, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Health Dr Firass Abiad briefed ambassadors, heads of United Nations (UN) companies and different officers from the worldwide neighborhood on the nation’s well being emergency readiness and response plan. The Ministry of Public Health and WHO co-organized the briefing in mild of accelerating hostilities, that are including to the unprecedented socioeconomic and political challenges going through the nation.

The Minister highlighted: “The emergency plan aims to keep pace with the repercussions of the development of events in the short term, but its importance lies in its effects in the longer term.” He added {that a} public well being emergency operations centre (PHEOC) had been activated and capacity-training programmes to empower well being employees launched. He additionally stated that work had begun to boost the readiness of hospitals and first well being care centres, specializing in:

• trauma care, to supply speedy remedy for potential warfare wounded, whether or not in border areas or in areas more likely to represent a medical and remedy location, together with by pre-positioning trauma and different medical provides at referral hospitals and the central warehouse;

• offering well being take care of folks displaced from their properties as a consequence of violence, by strengthening well being providers, significantly major well being care centres which offer important providers, together with psychological well being and psychosocial assist; and

• enhancing coordination of readiness and response via the PHEOC on the nationwide and subnational ranges.

Welcoming this, Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative in Lebanon, acknowledged, “WHO is fully behind the government at this critical moment, providing technical expertise and critical medical supplies. One of our priorities is ensuring that the PHEOC is running smoothly so that needs are accurately identified, and quickly met in a coordinated and efficient manner.”

The Minister additionally briefed these in attendance on progress made in reforming the well being sector according to the latest Lebanon National Health Strategy. He expressed because of donors and companions who’ve already contributed to well being sector reforms, however outlined that extra must be completed within the quick and long run.

UN Resident Coordinator in Lebanon Mr Imran Riza acknowledged the sturdy management of the Ministry of Public Health and the appreciable achievements made in the previous few years, regardless of many challenges. He assured the Minister that UN companies and different companions will proceed to work with the Ministry to handle challenges and strengthen ongoing emergency readiness and response.

The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Lebanon Her Excellency Ms Sandra De Waele reaffirmed the EU’s dedication to proceed working with the federal government to enhance the Lebanese well being system. She identified the significance of enhancing entry to well being providers for probably the most susceptible, whereas concurrently pursuing short- and long-term reforms of the well being sector.

Cross-border preventing between Lebanon and Israel has been on the rise because the begin of the battle within the occupied Palestinian territory on 7 October 2023. Since then, 77 folks have been killed on the Lebanese facet, with 331 extra injured and over 46 000 folks displaced. Attacks on well being care, affecting services, ambulances and well being employees, have additionally been reported.