Funds based on donor contributions will help strengthen emergency coordination, trauma care and disease surveillance, the UN agency said on Sunday, while ensuring access to essential medicines and medical supplies.
“As casualties rise, so do attacks on healthcarethat are increasing the burden on health systems at a time when they are needed most,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a social media post.
“I urge all parties to choose the courageous and saving path to peace.”he added.
WHO regional director Dr Nana Balkhy said that at a time when there were already significant cuts in aid, it was essential to give frontline health workers a boost.
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In LebanonAn increasing number of injuries sustained by renewed attacks by Hezbollah militants in support of Iran and devastating Israeli counterattacks against many areas of the south and the capital Beirut, are putting serious pressure on health services.
On Saturday, Tedros stressed that the murder of 14 health workers in southern Lebanon over the previous 24 hours marked a “tragic event” in the regional crisis caused by the decision of the United States and Israel to launch a large-scale air offensive against Iran.
Twelve doctors were killed in an overnight attack on the Bourj Qalauoiyeh primary health care center and two paramedics were killed earlier in an attack on a health center. there has been 27 attacks on healthcare in Lebanon since March 2, resulting in at least 30 deaths.
In IraqServices are under increasing pressure, especially in areas close to strike zones and violent demonstrations. The United States has provided $500,000 for emergency coordination, mass casualty management and other key services, the WHO said.
Before the bombing campaign against Iran began, the WHO needed $633 million through its appeal through 2026 to meet regional needs. As of March, they had only received 37 percent funding.
An allocation of $500,000 to Syria will support the acquisition of vital medicines and supplies for displaced populations and boost disease surveillance.
Peacekeepers under fire
Peacekeepers serving with the UN mission in South Lebanon (UNIFIL) monitoring the Blue Line, again came under attack during three separate incidents while on patrol this weekend.
The mission issued a statement saying the hostile fire was likely coming from “non-state armed groups” near its bases in Yatar, Dayr Kifa and Qallawiyah.
“The fire in Yatar reached five meters from the peace forces” the mission said. “Two patrols returned fire in self-defense and after brief exchanges, the patrols resumed their planned activities. “No peacekeepers were injured.”
UNIFIL stressed that the use of weapons by any armed group within the mission's area of operations is a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in 2006.
The head of the UN, António Guterres, has just concluded a solidarity visit to Lebanon where he stressed that any attack against the UN 'blue helmets' and their positions “is completely unacceptable and must stop.”
During his visit to Beirut, the Secretary-General also met with some of the more than 800,000 civilians who have been forced to flee their homes since fighting began, and stressed once again that civilians should never be a target.
