Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that Lebanon’s health care system is reaching its limits as the ongoing conflict strains resources.
Hospitals are at risk of running out of crucial wound care supplies each time they receive a rush of injured patients.
MSF’s medical coordinator in Lebanon, Dr. Luna Hammad, told Asharq Al-Awsat that crowded shelters with poor sanitation are fueling outbreaks of infectious diseases, adding further pressure on the health sector.
Lebanon’s health crisis has worsened since Israel expanded its military operations on September 23, displacing over 842,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Hospitals in southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut have evacuated patients, as thousands have been injured amid continued bombing, placing immense strain on the struggling health system.
Hammad announced that after the conflict began on Oct. 8, 2023, MSF launched a new project to support the health of displaced people.
Mobile medical teams have been visiting towns in Lebanon’s southern Tyre and Nabatieh regions to provide primary care, medications, and mental health support.
MSF has also donated 10 tons of essential medical supplies to hospitals across Lebanon for wound care.
Following the escalation of Israeli attacks in mid-September 2024, MSF expanded its efforts, deploying 14 medical teams to shelters and camps across Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, northern Lebanon, and the Bekaa.
These teams, including doctors, nurses, and mental health professionals, are addressing urgent health needs.
“Our donations have now reached 88 tons, and we’ve also supplied fuel to hospitals when needed,” Hammad told Asharq Al-Awsat.
After intensified Israeli strikes, MSF had to close clinics in Burj al-Barajneh and Baalbek-Hermel due to security risks. MSF has since partially reopened the Baalbek-Hermel clinic so patients can access essential chronic disease medications.
“Our clinics in Burj Hammoud and Arsal remain fully operational,” said Dr. Luna Hammad, while noting that the Baalbek-Hermel clinic is open on a limited basis to supply chronic medications.
Lebanon’s health system is under severe strain as conflict and mass displacement escalate, said Hammad.
“The crisis has overwhelmed the system, especially with civilians and health workers increasingly under attack,” she explained.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly half of Lebanon’s primary health centers—about 100—are now out of service due to security concerns.
Hammad urged the protection of civilians, health workers, and facilities, including ambulances.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports 246 ambulances have been targeted, with 178 paramedics killed and 279 wounded in the strikes.
Moreover, Lebanon’s medical sector is under increasing pressure as the conflict persists.
“Many patients had to flee without personal items or medications,” said Hammad, adding that “people with chronic illnesses urgently need access to primary care to avoid serious complications.”
She also cautioned that overcrowded shelters with poor sanitation are at risk of infectious disease outbreaks, adding further strain to the already burdened health system.
MSF warns that war conditions like those in Lebanon can overwhelm any health care system.
Hammad stressed the need to “protect health care workers, facilities, and ambulances” to ensure the system can meet urgent needs.
She also highlighted the importance of foreign aid in supporting the medical sector.
“Every initiative to strengthen the health system is vital. Hospital staff we are assisting have reported they risk running out of supplies for wound care whenever injured patients arrive in large numbers. Our teams are dedicated to providing these essential materials,” said Hammad.
Since January, MSF has delivered 75 tons of medical supplies to Lebanon, with an additional 45 tons shipped from Cyprus by sea in October.
