Lebanon: ICRC supporting life-saving medical services during hostilities

The ICRC also supports primary healthcare centres and provides services through Medical Mobile Units, ensuring access to essential healthcare in remote and underserved areas.

Three primary health-care centres (PHCs) received medical supplies for acute and chronic conditions, as well as dressing and burn sets. Medication for non-communicable diseases, psychotropics and oral intra-emergency health kits were distributed to the PHCs in Baalbek Governorate.  

In collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the ICRC continues to support a Medical Mobile Unit operating in Marjayoun district covering ten surrounding villages. The Unit delivers primary health-care services and medication to populations with limited access to health facilities, ensuring continuity of care for both acute and chronic conditions. 

Through its physical rehabilitation programme, ICRC helps partners with the provision of mobility aids to internally displaced persons with disabilities across Lebanon. A stock of crutches, wheelchairs, commode chairs and walking frames was donated to the Lebanese Red Cross Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Aley, which oversees the health needs of persons with disabilities in collective shelters, mainly in Mount Lebanon, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs. 

As hostilities continue, the ICRC reminds all parties that even when advance warnings are issued, health-care workers, anyone wounded and sick, and all other civilians who have stayed behind must be protected from attack, so long as they do not directly participate in hostilities. All feasible precautions must be taken to avoid, and in any event minimize, incidental harm to them as civilians. Medical facilities and medical transport, including ambulances, must also be respected and protected in all circumstances, which means they must not be attacked, obstructed or misused. Medical teams and first responders must be able to rapidly and safely reach those in need.