At least 23 healthcare facilities have come under attack in embattled Lebanon since the conflict with Israel broke out on 17 September 2024. Added to this, the unprecedented spike in patients and the lack of critical resources has significantly reduced the capacity of a sector that had already been damaged by years of economic instability with experts now warning that the system is on the verge of collapse.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the 23 attacks have taken the lives of 72 health workers and patients and injured another 43. Moreover, intense bombardments and growing insecurity have forced 100 out of 207 primary healthcare centers to close, particularly in the south of Lebanon.
See also: Lebanon’s healthcare in crisis: explosions worsen system collapse
Hospitals have faced a similar fate with several closing as their infrastructure was damaged while others were evacuated as they were based in areas close to intense bombardment. As of October 2024, five hospitals have been evacuated, with another five partially evacuated, leaving critically ill patients, such as those requiring cancer treatment or dialysis, to be transferred to other already overwhelmed hospitals, according to media reports.
“The situation in Lebanon is alarming. Attacks on healthcare debilitate health systems and impede their ability to continue to perform,” said Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “WHO is working tirelessly with the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon to address critical gaps and support the continuity of essential health services, but the people of Lebanon need an immediate ceasefire.”
The strain on Lebanon’s healthcare system has been acutely felt at Rafic Hariri University Hospital, one of the country’s largest public hospitals.
“Hospitals are suffering more than they should,” said Dr. Jihad Saadeh, Director of the hospital. “Hospitals in the south and north have stopped working, leaving the focus on Hariri Hospital and a few other government facilities. We are overwhelmed, and the situation is far worse than it appears.” Dr. Saadeh told DevelopmentAid that the violence and economic challenges have further weakened an already fragile healthcare infrastructure.
The humanitarian crisis has triggered the displacement of hundreds of thousands who have fled southern Lebanon. Many people have been driven into temporary camps with substandard living conditions.
“There was a lot of hostility in the refugee camps,” Dr. Saadeh stated. “People were malnourished, thirsty, and living in substandard conditions. If someone was hungry or thirsty, they were all tormented.”
He stated that the few remaining hospitals are under tremendous pressure to care for displaced people, particularly the elderly and those with chronic illnesses which is complicating the healthcare response.
See also: Torn by war: Lebanon’s struggle to survive amid mass displacement
Furthermore, the financial burden on hospitals has compounded the crisis.
“Investors didn’t pay us properly, and because of this, we couldn’t get the supplies we needed,” the doctor explained. “The ministry’s payments were delayed, and while we waited, patients couldn’t wait.”
This lack of timely funding has resulted in a substantial backlog of services, placing an additional burden on Lebanon’s healthcare system, which is already struggling due to continuing conflict and economic turmoil.
