Death toll in Lebanon rising, health system weakening – WHO DG

By Blessing Chinagorom

The World Health Organization Director-General, Dr Tedro Ghebreyesus has cried out that the death toll in Lebanon is rising and hospitals are overwhelmed with the influx of injured patients.

Ghebreyesus who made this known on Wednesday when he met with Arab League Ambassadors in Geneva to discuss health situation in Lebanon and the region.

The DG said Lebanon’s health system has been weakened by these successive crises and is struggling to cope with the immense needs while admitted that the best medicine is peace.
He said, “what the people of Lebanon, Gaza, Israel and throughout the Middle East need is peace. The violence must end to prevent more loss, suffering, any further escalation of the conflict will’ve catastrophic consequences for the region”.

Ghebreyesus said while meeting with these ambassadors to discuss the health situation in Lebanon, agreed that patients, health workers and civilians, including refugees, must be protected and offered the health care they need.

“WHO has been working closely to ensure hospitals have enough medical supplies and health workers are trained for mass casualty events, as well as maintain essential health services for the most vulnerable. But more help is needed, and we are scaling up our response” the DG said.
Report has it that there is no end to air attacks in Lebanon with the dead rising and the situation in the Middle East causing global concern.

Israel’s new bombings took place on Wednesday night (02.10.2024) to Thursday in Beirut, hitting among others a center of immediate aid organization associated with Hezbollah, resulting in at least six people being killed.

And all this after a day marked by land fighting in southern Lebanon, where eight Israeli soldiers were announced to be killed. One of the raids on Lebanon’s capital hit a “centre of civil protection” of Shia movement supported by Iran, Basura, in the heart of the city, said a source of the French Agency in Hezbolas.
A further account of the victims released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health mentions at least six dead and seven others injured. AFP reporters heard a strong explosion and felt buildings shaking, and saw ambulances rushing on the spot.

The Israeli army issued on Wednesday night to Thursday a new order to speed away civilians from areas of southern suburbs of Beirut, which is announced new bombings against members or facilities of the Shia movement Hezbollah, for a second consecutive night.

Since last October, more than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon, including over 100 children, 194 women and more than 346,000 people are confirmed to have been displaced from their homes. 

Government estimates put this number as high as one million. Another 128,000 people both Syrian and Lebanese – have crossed into Syria,.also since October 8th, Hizbullah attacks on Israel have killed 49 people with over 60,000 people displaced from their homes.