The Lebanese health minister has said the country is readying for a potential war with Israel amid ongoing regional tensions between the Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Lebanon's health care system, already battered by other crises, including a port explosion and the Covid-19 pandemic, now has to gear up for a potential wider conflict with Israel, Lebanon's Health Minister Firas Abiad told reporters.
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged strikes since the Gaza conflict began, with tensions escalating after an Israeli strike killed a top Hezbollah commander in a Beirut suburb last month. Hezbollah has vowed retaliation.
The Lebanese caretaker government, amid diplomatic efforts for de-escalation, is preparing for the worst despite a strained budget, a divided parliament, and no president.
“The Lebanese health system had to adjust to multiple crises,” said Abiad. Healthcare facilities have minimised costs by reducing inventory, now built up to four months' worth of critical supplies.
Lebanese health authorities are seriously considering the possibility of hospitals being targeted in a wider conflict.
Abiad mentioned that almost two dozen paramedics and healthcare workers in southern Lebanon have already been killed in Israeli strikes, including those from medical groups affiliated with Hezbollah and allied organisations.
Israeli strikes have hit deeper into Lebanon recently, with military jets causing sonic booms in Beirut. Much of the border region is in rubble.
Lebanon’s health sector, once renowned in the region, has faced severe crises since 2019, including the fiscal crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, and dwindling international aid for over 1 million Syrian refugees.
However, resilience might not suffice. The financial crisis has left government agencies dependent on humanitarian aid.
Last week, the health ministry received 32 tonnes of emergency medical aid from the World Health Organisation.
“The international community has to pull its weight and chip in with this particular issue,” Abiad said.
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