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URGENT FUNDS NEEDED FOR HEALTH FOR THE LEBANESE PEOPLE
AZG Armenian Daily #138, 25/07/2006
Urgent!
WHO appeals for US$ 32.4 million as part of UN appeal
Geneva - Today WHO is appealing for funds for the health of the people
of Lebanon, who require urgent and secure access to health care.
To date, the current conflict has resulted in more than1200 injured
and 346 killed. Several hundred thousand people have fled their homes,
including to neighbouring Syria. Insecurity in South Lebanon, the
destruction of bridges, roads and other infrastructure, and lack of
electricity are threatening people's health.
The injured need access to equipped, safe and functioning
hospitals. Those who are displaced need access to clean water,
sanitation, immunization and other services. People who are chronically
ill, with diabetes or heart disease require continued access to their
life-saving medicines. Particularly vulnerable are the wounded, women
and children, the elderly and the chronically ill. Access to health
care, food, shelter, water and sanitation are all critical lifelines.
The WHO, on behalf of the partners working on health issues, is
requesting US$ 32.4 million to serve the health needs of 800,000 people
over the next three months. This includes joint actions and activities
with partners including UNICEF, UNFPA and UNRWA. For WHO-specific
activities, WHO is requesting almost US$ 14 million. This appeal is
part of the total United Nations' Flash Appeal for Lebanon, which
seeks a total of US$ 150 million.
"As more people are displaced and as more infrastructure is destroyed,
the health needs will grow. International concern for the people caught
in this conflict is high. Funding from the international community for
health will save lives and reduce suffering," said Dr Ala' Din Alwan,
the WHO Director-Generals' Representative for Health Action in Crises.
WHO is leading the "health cluster"- the coordination body for health
action in this crisis, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health
(MoH). The funds will increase the health cluster support to the MoH
in tackling several vital areas of health:
- Coordinate the humanitarian response in the health sector;
- Assess the heath impact, damage to health infrastructure and
emergency needs of the health systems;
- Monitor the health threats and risks, including the enhancement of
the disease early warning surveillance and response systems;
- Address gaps in health services delivery and support in the
re-establishment of essential and emergency medical , public health
and environment health services;
- Establish mobile health care units and strengthen functional health
centres capable of delivering maternal and child health, reproductive
health, mental health services and chronic disease management;
- Urgent immunization services campaigns for internally displaced
people, and host communities if needed;
- Establishment and maintenance of vaccine storage and the vaccine
cold chain.
Current priorities are to ensure safe evacuation for the injured
to hospitals where their injuries may be treated. WHO is tracking
medicines and surgical supplies, and warns that it is difficult
to move these into the areas where they are needed. Safe water and
sanitation is also urgent for those who are displaced and living in
about 110 different public locations. To lower the risks of diarrhoeal
and other water-borne diseases, WHO with its partners is distributing
chlorine to disinfect water. WHO has also strengthened its presence in
the region by sending several experts. As many as 150 000 people are
thought to have crossed the border into Syria, WHO is set to assist
the Syrian authorities meet the health needs of these people too.
For more information, contact:
In Geneva: Fadela CHAIB, Communications Officer, telephone +41 22
791 3228, email [email protected]
In Cairo: Ibrahim KERDANY, Communications Officer for the WHO Regional
Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, telephone: +202 27 65037 mobile -
+ 20 10 6019087 email: [email protected]
Sacha BOOTSMA, Information and Communications Officer, telephone
(+20-10) 182 64 23, email: [email protected]
In Beirut: Altaf MUSANI: Regional Adviser for the WHO Regional Office
for the Eastern Mediterranean, mobile telephone: (+20-10) 258 58 22
email: [email protected].
AZG Armenian Daily #138, 25/07/2006
Urgent!
WHO appeals for US$ 32.4 million as part of UN appeal
Geneva - Today WHO is appealing for funds for the health of the people
of Lebanon, who require urgent and secure access to health care.
To date, the current conflict has resulted in more than1200 injured
and 346 killed. Several hundred thousand people have fled their homes,
including to neighbouring Syria. Insecurity in South Lebanon, the
destruction of bridges, roads and other infrastructure, and lack of
electricity are threatening people's health.
The injured need access to equipped, safe and functioning
hospitals. Those who are displaced need access to clean water,
sanitation, immunization and other services. People who are chronically
ill, with diabetes or heart disease require continued access to their
life-saving medicines. Particularly vulnerable are the wounded, women
and children, the elderly and the chronically ill. Access to health
care, food, shelter, water and sanitation are all critical lifelines.
The WHO, on behalf of the partners working on health issues, is
requesting US$ 32.4 million to serve the health needs of 800,000 people
over the next three months. This includes joint actions and activities
with partners including UNICEF, UNFPA and UNRWA. For WHO-specific
activities, WHO is requesting almost US$ 14 million. This appeal is
part of the total United Nations' Flash Appeal for Lebanon, which
seeks a total of US$ 150 million.
"As more people are displaced and as more infrastructure is destroyed,
the health needs will grow. International concern for the people caught
in this conflict is high. Funding from the international community for
health will save lives and reduce suffering," said Dr Ala' Din Alwan,
the WHO Director-Generals' Representative for Health Action in Crises.
WHO is leading the "health cluster"- the coordination body for health
action in this crisis, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health
(MoH). The funds will increase the health cluster support to the MoH
in tackling several vital areas of health:
- Coordinate the humanitarian response in the health sector;
- Assess the heath impact, damage to health infrastructure and
emergency needs of the health systems;
- Monitor the health threats and risks, including the enhancement of
the disease early warning surveillance and response systems;
- Address gaps in health services delivery and support in the
re-establishment of essential and emergency medical , public health
and environment health services;
- Establish mobile health care units and strengthen functional health
centres capable of delivering maternal and child health, reproductive
health, mental health services and chronic disease management;
- Urgent immunization services campaigns for internally displaced
people, and host communities if needed;
- Establishment and maintenance of vaccine storage and the vaccine
cold chain.
Current priorities are to ensure safe evacuation for the injured
to hospitals where their injuries may be treated. WHO is tracking
medicines and surgical supplies, and warns that it is difficult
to move these into the areas where they are needed. Safe water and
sanitation is also urgent for those who are displaced and living in
about 110 different public locations. To lower the risks of diarrhoeal
and other water-borne diseases, WHO with its partners is distributing
chlorine to disinfect water. WHO has also strengthened its presence in
the region by sending several experts. As many as 150 000 people are
thought to have crossed the border into Syria, WHO is set to assist
the Syrian authorities meet the health needs of these people too.
For more information, contact:
In Geneva: Fadela CHAIB, Communications Officer, telephone +41 22
791 3228, email [email protected]
In Cairo: Ibrahim KERDANY, Communications Officer for the WHO Regional
Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, telephone: +202 27 65037 mobile -
+ 20 10 6019087 email: [email protected]
Sacha BOOTSMA, Information and Communications Officer, telephone
(+20-10) 182 64 23, email: [email protected]
In Beirut: Altaf MUSANI: Regional Adviser for the WHO Regional Office
for the Eastern Mediterranean, mobile telephone: (+20-10) 258 58 22
email: [email protected].