Lebanon: soaring needs for trauma treatment and rehabilitation
Thousands of civilians require reconstructive surgeries and physical rehabilitation. All but one hospital are gradually reopening, while most are not operating at full capacity.
20 December 2024, Beirut, Lebanon – The ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities took effect on 27 November, offering temporary relief for the millions of civilians caught in the conflict in Lebanon. But Lebanon’s suffering did not end amid staggering unmet health needs. Bordering Syria and Israel, Lebanon’s overburdened health system is reeling from the impacts of an economic crisis, political deadlock, refugee crisis and now war.
The country is host to 1.5 million Syrian refugees: inevitably, events in Syria impact Lebanon and WHO operations. Syrian nationals are entering Lebanon at the same time as Syrian refugees are returning to Syria from Lebanon.
“An already decimated health system remarkably withstood this latest storm, but it has been further weakened. The challenges are complex and call for specialized, sustained support,” said WHO Representative to Lebanon Dr Abdinasir Abubakar.
A rocky road ahead
The road ahead for Lebanon‘s health system is rocky and the future uncertain.
Lebanon’s cumulative real GDP has shrunk by 38% since 2019, according to the World Bank, with the war being the latest of many blows. As of today, more than 1 million people displaced by hostilities have returned to Southern Lebanon where the physical and health infrastructure is in tatters. Several health facilities remain closed and most hospitals are running below capacity due to financial restraints and shortages of staff, long-standing challenges in Lebanon.
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