Health services under immense strain as the number of casualties and injuries rise, including among children
BEIRUT, 8 October 2024 – UNICEF is providing 167 metric tons of medical supplies for about 2 million people affected by the rapidly escalating conflict in Lebanon, especially women and children.
UNICEF has delivered 67 metric tons of medical supplies in the past three days by land and air routes. These supplies, procured through funding support from the United Kingdom, boost the resources available to health teams to sustain regular services and treat the rising number of people requiring medical assistance due to the conflict. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, 2,083 people have been killed in the past year, including more than 127 children. Most of these deaths have reportedly occurred in recent weeks.
Thes 67 metric tons of supplies include a UNICEF-chartered plane carrying 25 metric tons of medication and medical supplies that arrived at Lebanon’s international airport on Sunday 6 October. Another 25 metric tons arrived by air and 17 metric tons by road from Jordan via Syria. UNICEF was among the first organisations to deliver humanitarian supplies to Lebanon by road since the major escalation on 23 September and has more trucks due to arrive in the coming days. These supplies follow 100 metric tons of medical supplies which have been distributed across the country in recent weeks.
The medical supplies include emergency kits crucial for hospitals treating injured patients; obstetric and midwifery kits to help healthcare facilities provide safe deliveries to pregnant women; essential drugs and medications to treat acute and infectious conditions; and first aid kits to assist emergency response teams and ambulances providing lifesaving care.
“Hospitals are struggling under the strain of this tragic increase in cases” said UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Edouard Beigbeder. “More medical supplies are urgently needed to ensure the women and children of Lebanon receive the lifesaving care they need. Through the funding support of the United Kingdom, UNICEF has been able to bolster efforts to save lives in Lebanon.”
The supplies are being distributed across public hospitals, health facilities and mobile teams in Lebanon.
Beyond medical supplies, UNICEF has distributed 135 metric tons of emergency response supplies within Lebanon since 23 September, including in support of about 60,000 internally displaced people at more than 240 shelters across the country. Shelters have received essential relief items, including about 450,000 litres of water, 22,000 blankets, 6,000 mattresses and sleeping bags, 26,000 family hygiene and baby kits and 12,000 personal hygiene kits for women and adolescent girls. Medical, mental health and psychosocial support services are also being rolled out at shelters.
Given the scale of needs in Lebanon, UNICEF is urgently appealing to the international community to mobilize humanitarian support and ensure that supply routes into Lebanon remain open and safe passage guaranteed, allowing for the rapid and safe delivery of lifesaving aid to children in need.
UNICEF continues to call for an urgent ceasefire and urges all parties to protect children and civilian infrastructure, and ensure that humanitarian actors can safely reach those in need, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
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