Your Excellency President Macron,
Your Excellency Prime Minister Mikati,
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
With heartfelt gratitude to France and President Macron for convening this meeting.
More than 2 500 people have been killed in Lebanon over the last year, and more than 12 000 people have been injured. Most of this occurred since the escalation of attacks on the 17th of September.
The conflict has forced the closure of over 100 health facilities, about one-third of the country’s total - you can understand what the impact is on the service. Hospitals and health workers are overwhelmed.
More than 1.2 million people have been displaced.
These disruptions increase the risk of disease outbreaks; complications from untreated illness, including mental health; and risks to pregnant and birthing mothers. Tragically, children are missing out on life-saving vaccinations, essential for their future.
The lack of clean water and sanitation has already resulted in a cholera case in northern Lebanon, and the risk of spread is high.
WHO has documented 53 attacks on health care in Lebanon over the past year, including the deaths of 99 patients and health workers.
Health care facilities and providers must be safeguarded at all times. Failure to do so is a violation of international law, as the president of the ICRC has indicated.
WHO works closely with the Ministry of Public Health and partners to manage mass casualty events and sustain essential health services.
Using prepositioned stockpiles, WHO has delivered 124 metric tons of medical supplies, including a 3-month stock of blood bank supplies and trauma surgery kits for 45 priority hospitals.
We must ensure safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian assistance, and also financing based on the UN Flash appeal.
WHO calls for the immediate protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and health facilities, in line with international law.
What the people of Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine need is peace.
The violence must end to prevent more loss and suffering. The best medicine is peace.
Thank you.