WHO: Lebanon tops global rates of deadly attacks on healthcare system
Shafaq News/ The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed, on Friday, a significant toll of patients and health workers killed in Israeli military operations.
Since 7 October 2023, 47% of attacks on health care, 65 out of 137, have proven fatal to at least one health worker or patient in Lebanon, as of 21 November 2024.
According to the WHO, this represents the highest percentage of any conflict going on around the world today, in comparison with the global average of 13.3%, based on figures from 13 countries or territories that reported attacks in the same period.
The WHO said in a statement that “226 health workers and patients and 199 others were injured in Lebanon during the period from October 7, 2023 to November 18, 2024.”
Lebanon's healthcare system is facing severe strain, with 15 out of 153 hospitals either shutting down entirely or operating at reduced capacity. In Nabatieh, one of the country's eight governorates, 40% of hospital bed capacity has been lost, the WHO clarified.
“These figures reveal yet again an extremely worrying pattern. It’s unequivocal – depriving civilians of access to lifesaving care and targeting health providers is a breach of international humanitarian law,” said WHO Representative in Lebanon Abdinasir Abubakar.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, the number of victims in the health sector, since October 2023, reached 214 dead, and 321 wounded, as well as 249 vehicles, 94 medical and ambulatory centers, in addition to 40 hospitals targeted and damaged.
The total number of casualties including the health sector’s victims reached yesterday, 3,583 deaths and 15,244 injuries, including 674 women and 231 children among the fatalities, with 2,697 women and 1,346 children injured.
Since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted in Gaza, the Israeli-Lebanese border has witnessed almost daily exchanges of fire, with Hezbollah launching a "support front" for Gaza. Since September 23, Israel has intensified its operations, conducting frequent airstrikes across Lebanon, which it claims target "Hezbollah strongholds."
