Doctors Without Borders warned of the dire humanitarian consequences of forced displacement in Lebanon, noting that more than a million people were forced to leave their homes within just one month of the military escalation, as a result of widespread evacuation orders and continued bombing.
The organization also explained that migrant workers from African and Asian countries are considered among the most vulnerable and affected groups, as they face increasing marginalization and deprivation of necessary humanitarian aid, in addition to great difficulties in obtaining the necessary health care due to the imposed legal restrictions and high costs.
In the capital, Beirut, the organization indicated that its clinic in the Bourj Hammoud area has expanded the scope of its services in order to meet the growing needs of the population, as the number of medical consultations provided has increased to about 3,000 consultations per week through fixed and mobile clinics, while providing psychological and social support and distributing the necessary basic aid.
The organization also pointed out that the number of medical referrals for critical cases that require urgent intervention has doubled, in light of the severe lack of funding and the decline of various support programs, which leaves a large number of patients without life-saving health care, especially with the increasing spread of chronic diseases and the interruption of necessary medications as a result of displacement.
The organization transmitted realistic field testimonies that reflect the harshness of the humanitarian situation, as many displaced people find themselves homeless, in light of severe overcrowding or forced to sleep on the streets, in addition to the cases of discrimination and exclusion they are exposed to in shelter centers.
The organization stressed that the gaps in health services, especially in the areas of mental health and women’s care, are widening alarmingly, with increasing reliance on community initiatives that alone cannot meet the complex and growing needs.
This warning comes in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing war, as the pressure on the health sector and shelter centers is increasing significantly, amid a clear weakness in the international response compared to the magnitude of the enormous needs, which portends a long-term crisis that will affect the most vulnerable groups in society.
