Beirut: As part of the health-news file of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that harsh wartime conditions have imposed an agenda laden with emergency challenges on Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health for the second time in less than two years. The ministry had barely begun implementing medium- and long-term plans to set the health system in motion and restore its capacity following the Gaza-support confrontations and their escalation into the 66-day war of 2024 when hostilities resumed with greater intensity in March 2026 and have continued ever since.
According to Qatar News Agency, this development gave rise to mounting challenges that required an immediate and intensified response, particularly as a defining feature of the aggression was the direct and systematic targeting of the healthcare and emergency-response sectors. These sectors sustained heavy losses in both lives and infrastructure located in conflict zones. Despite the exceptional and well-documented dangers, healthcare workers continued to fulfill their humanitarian duty with courage, professionalism, and unwavering commitment, embodying the noble values the international community has long sought to uphold.
Lebanon's Minister of Public Health Dr. Rakan Nassereddine summarized the situation by saying that the burden is immense, and Lebanon's healthcare system is laboring under enormous pressure. More than a quarter of the population has been displaced, while demand for healthcare has exceeded the system's capacity. The wounded, chronically ill patients, mothers, children, and older people all require uninterrupted access to essential healthcare services, Nassereddine pointed out. He added that Lebanon, which continues to labor under the weight of suffering, remains committed to resilience, sharing that the Ministry remains committed to fulfilling our national duty by continuously striving to provide all healthcare services to people, far removed from politics.
Yet, he said, in light of the ongoing Israeli war, resilience alone isn't enough without global solidarity, adding that this stems from the conviction that health isn't merely an objective in itself; it should serve as a bridge to peace, dignity, and humanity. Indeed, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health pursued multiple tracks in responding to the crisis, Nassereddine suggested, emphasizing that these ranged from raising its voice before the international community to spotlight what the healthcare system and its personnel have been subjected to in terms of direct targeting that flouts international humanitarian law and runs counter to established international norms and resolutions, to strengthening the resilience of the healthcare sector in conflict zones and supporting healthcare services in areas hosting displaced persons, while continuing efforts to develop the health system over the medium and long term.
Statistics released by the Ministry of Public Health up to the preparation of this report paint a shocking and sobering picture: The number of fatalities is approaching 3,600, although projections indicate the figure is substantially higher due to the expanding scope of military operations conducted by the Israeli occupation army, with women and children accounting for 20 percent of the victims. The number of injured is approaching 11,000, creating extensive surgical, hospitalization, and treatment needs, along with the necessity of ensuring continuous follow-up care for the vast majority of those affected. Within the healthcare sector, 129 healthcare workers lost their lives while carrying out their duties and 379 were injured. A total of 164 ambulances were targeted. Seventeen hospitals sustained partial or total damage. Three hospitals were forced to cease operations entirely. Forty-five primary healthcare centers were compelled to close. The number of displaced persons has risen to more than 1.4 million.
Amid the ongoing war, the Ministry of Public Health succeeded in securing the adoption of a resolution by the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, which passed with 95 votes in favor. Only two countries opposed the measure: Israel and Honduras. The resolution marked a pivotal milestone amid the concentrated Israeli attacks on the healthcare sector. While it did not prevent the continuation- or indeed the intensification- of those attacks, it has become an important document in Lebanon's hands for holding Israel accountable for crimes that do not lapse with the passage of time.
The resolution stated that attacks against the healthcare sector constituted grave violations of international humanitarian law, which clearly provides protection for healthcare workers, medical facilities, patients, and medical transport at all times. While calling for the protection of healthcare services and the provision of sustained support for Lebanon's public health system, the resolution underscored in a clear condemnation of the Israeli attacks that the situation isn't merely a matter of national concern for Lebanon, but also a reminder of the importance of protecting healthcare during times of conflict and upholding the principles of the right to health for all and international humanitarian law.
Despite the harsh conditions of war that compelled it to intensify its short-term and immediate response, the Ministry of Public Health did not abdicate its commitment to developing Lebanon's health system over the medium and long term. A series of initiatives reflected the determination of Dr. Rakan Nassereddine to bolster the system with the tools and capabilities needed to foster growth, keep abreast of evolving healthcare needs, and enhance its areas of strength.
Among the foremost projects approved was the completion of equipment upgrades at public hospitals across Lebanon through the modernization of medical equipment and laboratories financed by a World Bank loan. The foundation stone was also laid for the rehabilitation of the National Central Public Health Laboratory for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, a project that Dr. Nassereddine described as both an achievement and a strategic investment that restores the nation's ability to detect health threats and protect society. The project is being implemented at Rafik Hariri University Hospital in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), with financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and support from the Norwegian Embassy.
The project represents a pivotal milestone in the rehabilitation of Lebanon's public health infrastructure and in strengthening the core national capacities for disease surveillance, early detection, and emergency preparedness amid ongoing economic and social challenges. The Mental Health Unit at Hariri Hospital was reopened with support from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the IF Foundation, serving as a specialized center that provides integrated and comprehensive therapeutic and psychological services.
The initiative forms part of the broader effort to develop the national health system in a manner that upholds dignity and respect while promoting recovery and social integration. The Ministry also launched the National Digital Transformation Strategy for the Health Sector 2025-2030, aimed at advancing healthcare services and promoting health equity throughout Lebanon. The strategy is intended to set in motion a new phase of health-system reform and restore transparency, efficiency, and public trust. In addition, the expansion of the Karantina Central Warehouse for Medical Equipment and Supplies was completed in collaboration with the WHO and with generous support from the Government of Japan.
Seeking to ensure that no patient is left without treatment, Dr. Nassereddine expanded cancer-treatment protocols by 400 percent, while emphasizing the continuous modernization of the National Cancer Control Program and the reactivation of the National Cancer Registry, recognizing the pivotal role data plays in shaping policies and setting plans. The findings showed that the cancer incidence rate in Lebanon stands at 224 cases per 100,000 people.
In a further step, Dr. Nassereddine announced comprehensive coverage for bone marrow transplantation procedures at all public and private hospitals, marking a positive breakthrough in the treatment of cancer in Lebanon. A decision was also taken to provide full hospitalization coverage for stroke cases at the Ministry's expense, including complete coverage of catheter-based clot-removal procedures. Given the substantial cost of such interventions and the fact that a stroke can transform an individual from a productive and active member of society into a person living with permanent disability, if they survive, the decision was widely viewed as a significant advancement in healthcare protection.
At the same time, awareness campaigns on chronic and intractable diseases continued to encourage prevention and early detection, thereby sparing many people considerable health-related suffering. The campaigns also underscored the importance of enforcing anti-smoking legislation to prevent a further rise in cancer cases. Among the most outstanding initiatives was the National Cancer Awareness Campaign, launched in parallel with an assessment of the National Cancer Control Plan 2023-2028 under the theme, "No Patient Will Be Left Without Treatment".
Following a six-year interruption caused by successive crises in Lebanon, the National Breast Cancer Awareness and Early Detection Campaign was relaunched across 50 public and private hospitals under the slogan, "You're 40? Don't Think Twice, Get a Mammogram". The National Lung Cancer Awareness Campaign was also launched under the title, "With Every Breath... You're Losing a Breath", warning of the dangers of all forms of smoking, including conventional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and waterpipes, while highlighting the risks posed by secondhand smoke. In addition, the National Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign sought to draw attention to a disease that often advances without symptoms, even though treatment in its early stages records high success rates.