Najat Rushdie, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, said the fuel shortage is threatening the provision of health services and basic water, putting thousands of families at risk.
“I am deeply concerned about the impact of the fuel crisis on access to health care and water supply for millions of people in Lebanon. She said the bad situation will only get worse unless an immediate solution is found Declaration.
downsizing operations
The lack of fuel and electricity has forced Lebanon’s largest hospital to reduce its activities. At the same time, fuel-based public water supply and wastewater treatment systems have curtailed their operations, depriving millions of water, and endangering the environment and public health.
Lebanon’s health system is already facing significant threats due to the deteriorating social and economic conditions in the country, including shortages of medicines and the loss of hundreds of employees who have migrated abroad.
with another wave of COVID-19 Infection looms, the fuel crisis could exacerbate the health situation as persistent shortages may affect the delivery of life-saving treatments, Ms Rushdie said. Reports indicate that intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 patients are already full. Since most patients rely on ventilators, a blackout may affect their recovery.
The power outage was also behind a week-long shutdown of water authorities in the capital, Beirut, and the Mount Lebanon region. Their counterparts in the north and south also faced depleted fuel stocks, leading to rising tensions and insecurity.
power back
Meanwhile, Electricité du Liban, the country’s main electricity company, has suspended the water authorities’ main electricity service lines, affecting nearly four million people across the country.
Ms. Rushdie stressed that restoring electricity from EDL is critical to the Lebanese people and the humanitarian workers who support them. “The stakes are simply too high. All stakeholders must work together to find a sustainable and equitable solution that serves the needs of all and protects the health and safety of communities,” she emphasized the readiness of the United Nations and partners to assist the affected population.
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