GENEVA, April 4 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday in a social media post that urgent support is needed for the health systems of five West Asia countries affected by the conflict – Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Jordan, reported Xinhua.
Health systems in the affected countries are "under severe strain" following weeks of intensified violence, Tedros said, adding that the WHO has launched a US$30.3 million flash appeal to support its health response to the escalating conflict in West Asia, with a focus on the five countries.
The appeal covers the period from March to August 2026. It aims to sustain essential health services and trauma care, strengthen disease surveillance and early warning systems, enhance mass casualty management, and improve national readiness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies, Tedros noted.
According to the WHO, as of March 31, the ongoing hostilities in West Asia have triggered the displacement of more than four million people, with over 3,300 deaths and 30,000 injuries.
-- BERNAMA-XINHUA
