NNA -nbsp;UNICEF is providingnbsp;167 metric tonsnbsp;ofnbsp;medical supplies for about 2 million people affected by thenbsp;rapidly escalatingnbsp;conflict in Lebanon, especially women and children.nbsp;
UNICEF has deliverednbsp;67 metric tonsnbsp;of medical supplies in the past three days by land and air routes.nbsp;These supplies,nbsp;procured through fundingnbsp;support from the United Kingdom, boost the resources available to health teamsnbsp;to sustain regular services andnbsp;treatnbsp;thenbsp;rising number ofnbsp;people requiringmedicalnbsp;assistancenbsp;due to the conflict.According tonbsp;the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health,nbsp;2,083 people have been killed in the past year, including more than 127 children. Most of these deaths havenbsp;reportedlynbsp;occurred in recent weeks.
Thesnbsp;67nbsp;metric tons ofnbsp;suppliesnbsp;include a UNICEF-chartered plane carrying 25 metric tons of medication and medical suppliesnbsp;thatarrived at Lebanonrsquo;s international airport on Sunday 6 October. Anothernbsp;25nbsp;metric tons arrived by air and 17 metric tons by road from Jordan via Syria. UNICEFnbsp;was amongnbsp;the firstnbsp;organisationsnbsp;to delivernbsp;humanitariansupplies to Lebanon by road sincenbsp;the major escalation onnbsp;23 September and has more trucks due to arrive in the coming days.nbsp;These suppliesnbsp;follownbsp;100 metric tons of medical suppliesnbsp;whichnbsp;have been distributed across the country in recent weeks.nbsp;
The medical supplies include emergency kits crucial for hospitals treating injured patients; obstetric and midwifery kits to help healthcare facilities provide safe deliveries to pregnant women; essential drugs and medications to treat acute and infectious conditions; and first aid kits to assist emergency response teams and ambulances providing lifesaving care.
ldquo;Hospitals are struggling under the strain of this tragic increase in casesrdquo; said UNICEF Representative in Lebanon,nbsp;Edouard Beigbeder. ldquo;More medical supplies are urgently needed to ensure the women and children of Lebanon receive the lifesaving care they need.nbsp;Throughnbsp;thenbsp;fundingnbsp;support ofnbsp;the United Kingdom, UNICEF has been able to bolster efforts to save lives in Lebanon.rdquo;
The suppliesnbsp;arenbsp;beingnbsp;distributed across public hospitals, health facilities and mobile teams in Lebanon.
Beyond medical supplies, UNICEF hasnbsp;distributed 135 metric tons ofnbsp;emergencynbsp;responsenbsp;suppliesnbsp;within Lebanon since 23 September, includingnbsp;in support ofnbsp;about 60,000 internally displaced people at more than 240 shelters across the country.nbsp;Shelters have receivednbsp;essentialnbsp;relief items, including about 450,000 litres of water, 22,000 blankets, 6,000 mattresses and sleeping bags, 26,000nbsp;familynbsp;hygienenbsp;and babynbsp;kits and 12,000 personal hygiene kits for women and adolescent girls.nbsp;Medical, mental health and psychosocial supportnbsp;servicesnbsp;are also being rolled out at shelters.nbsp;
Given the scale of needs in Lebanon, UNICEF is urgently appealing to the international community to mobilize humanitarian support and ensure that supply routes into Lebanon remain opennbsp;and safe passage guaranteed, allowing for the rapid and safe delivery of lifesaving aid to children in need.nbsp;
UNICEF continues to call for an urgent ceasefire and urges all parties to protect children and civiliannbsp;infrastructure, andensure that humanitarian actors can safely reach those in need, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
nbsp;
nbsp;
=========