Lebanon’s medical crisis in focus: Health Ministry faces war challenges

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Rakan Nassereddine, spends most days sleeping at the ministry during the war. He faces every challenge with the calm of a surgeon, guided by the principles of his profession learned at the American University.

He keeps his team on high alert and in constant contact with health sector leaders to carry out the necessary missions amid Israeli attacks spreading across southern Lebanon and other areas.

The ministry has received health aid from several countries and organizations, but it does not compare to the first version of the 2024 war, as the Arab and Western worlds are preoccupied with the developments of the confrontation between America and Iran, and Israel’s strong involvement. Hence, the Ministry of Health has not received the aid expected to arrive in Beirut.

Sheltering refugees and providing healthcare

Nassereddine conducts a series of communications with multiple parties to secure the necessary support for sheltering displaced people and providing medical care for the injured, as well as strengthening the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors across the country despite the scale of the challenges. He speaks of open cooperation within the government on this issue, under the supervision of President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam.

Lebanon has received assistance from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, France, Belgium, Jordan, and Egypt, but this aid covers only a small portion of the needed resources. Nassereddine expresses his gratitude to all these parties for their contributions, noting that more aid is expected to arrive by land in the coming days.

Challenging circumstances due to required needs

In response to a question about whether the ministry can ensure the needed continuity, the Minister of Health told Annahar that the circumstances are very difficult due to the growing needs, which are rising alongside the worsening situation and increasing numbers of displaced people—numbers that could rise further if Israel continues its aggression against Lebanon. Nassereddine does not bring the health file to the government table from the perspective of complex political issues.

He responds that this file is “under the care of the first and third presidencies and is closely followed by Speaker Nabih Berri. The President of the Republic communicates with me whenever attacks on the health sector occur, and I follow his directives. This issue is not absent from the agenda of sessions at the Grand Serail, and the delegation for purchases outside the public procurement mechanism—that is, by friendly agreement—was initially for one month and has been extended for another month. We are working transparently and responsibly.”

Alongside his health and professional responsibilities, Nassereddine is documenting all attacks on the health sector to establish the record correctly, as they constitute war crimes. Even the youngest volunteer in Nabatieh’s ambulance, the martyr Joud, is being included. We document all these attacks targeting civilians and volunteers, ensuring our actions align with reports from the World Health Organization and other organizations. We also communicate with the Council of Arab Health Ministers, which held a special meeting for Lebanon.

He states that “the targeting of the health sector is being carried out according to a direct Israeli plan, and we all fulfill our duties within the framework of emergency medical services and primary healthcare centers. Fifty-three martyrs have been counted among health sector workers, including paramedics, nurses, and doctors, as the rate of attacks escalates. The Ministry of Health and all state stakeholders are treating this matter very seriously. We have prepared a legal file with all the details, which is now with the Council of Ministers, and we are preparing a complaint to submit to international forums to protect the health sector from Israeli attacks.”

He adds, “Some hospitals in the south have been forcibly closed due to Israeli targeting. The remaining hospitals continue to operate through sheer willpower. There is ongoing communication with the Red Cross Committee’s international delegation and other international entities to provide the necessary equipment and supplies to these hospitals. The best response to the Israeli targeting is the continued operation of these institutions.”

Challenging situations

He indicates that “there are unavoidable challenging situations, such as what happened at Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil. Despite all these challenges, healthcare services remain available in the south, and the ministry will continue to provide hospitalization for refugees and distribute medicines for chronic diseases to shelters for up to six months. There are drugs outside these lists that we have distributed, and we are working to secure alternative medications to cover this gap.”

He believes that “the need is increasing, and this sector is a source of pride for Lebanon’s healthcare industry, which has gained extensive experience through numerous crises. A large number of volunteer doctors contribute, and they deserve full recognition; they come from all sects of the country, as well as colleagues abroad from both Lebanese and foreign backgrounds. We receive support from all sects. There is cooperation from all hospitals in Lebanon and civil society, and primary health centers work closely with the ministry. We may differ politically, but the Ministry of Health does not operate on the basis of political division."