Explosions in booby-trapped radios and pagers in Lebanon this week seriously disrupted its fragile health sector, the World Health Organization chief said today.
The United Nations health agency cited the 37 people killed and more than 3,000 injured, according to Lebanese health authorities’ toll, in the pager blasts that detonated in areas considered strongholds of the anti-Israel militant group Hezbollah.
“These events have seriously disrupted Lebanon’s already fragile health system,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference, adding that the global body had distributed blood supplies and trauma kits in the country.
“The whole health system came under immense pressure very, very quickly,” added WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan at the same briefing.
WHO’s representative in Lebanon, Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, said 100 hospitals were involved in the response.
A series of drills ahead of the attacks and the stockpiling of emergency supplies helped prepare doctors and nurses in advance and limited the casualties, he said.
Macron urges restraint after pager explosions
Emmanuel Macron held phone calls with top political and military leaders from Lebanon and also had a separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging restraint after the wave of explosions of pagers and radio devices.
The French President asked Lebanese leaders to pass on messages to local groups including Hezbollah to avoid further escalation, the Elysee said, amid fears of a wider war.
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