WHO denounces attacks as 132 healthcare workers killed in Lebanon
People and members of press look at a damaged building at the site of an Israeli strike on central Beirut's Bachoura neighbourhood, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Beirut, Lebanon October 3, 2024. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
At least 132 healthcare workers in Lebanon have been killed while on duty, a stark reminder of the dire situation in the country.
Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, condemned these killings, stressing that healthcare workers go to work to save lives, not to lose their own.
Harris added that international humanitarian law clearly states healthcare is not a target, yet the workers have been caught in the crossfire of a conflict that shows no regard for their safety.
The actual number of healthcare worker casualties may be much higher, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. Many healthcare workers have fallen victim while at home, traveling to or from work, or during their daily commutes
She said, “They go to work every day to save lives. They do not go to work to lose their lives, but they have been caught up in a conflict where there seems to be no concern about attacking health facilities,” Harris told Al Jazeera, speaking from Hong Kong. “It’s very clear, under international humanitarian law, healthcare is not a target.”
“This was a healthcare system that couldn’t afford to lose one healthcare worker. They didn’t have enough healthcare workers before this conflict began, the economic circumstances meant that they were very much underserved, and it was a healthcare system that was struggling,” the WHO spokesperson emphasized.
“And now they’ve got mass casualties. They’ve got mass needs. There’s overwhelming displacement. There’s increasing risk of outbreaks. We’ve got cholera … the attacks on healthcare are adding to the misery.”
