LEBANON — The UN said its humanitarian funds have
allocated Lebanon $10 million to help the cash-strapped nation buy vital fuel
to power hospitals and water stations.
اضافة اعلان
"Lebanon faces profound uncertainty. The humanitarian
community, though, is resolved to assist all vulnerable populations, whether
Lebanese, refugees or migrants," UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths
tweeted Wednesday during a visit to Beirut.
The UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said Tuesday a $6 million
allocation from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund was planned to help 65 hospitals,
primary healthcare centers, dispensaries, and medical cold storage facilities.
Another $4 million would be set aside for health centers as
well as water stations and four water facilities that serve more than two
thirds of Lebanon's population, it said in a statement.
"The allocation will help 2.3 million
people across Lebanon by making sure there is enough
fuel to keep water
stations functioning," said OCHA.
"The fuel shortage, a result of the ongoing
socioeconomic and political crises, is jeopardizing the availability of health
care and drinking water for nearly everyone in Lebanon," it added.
Lebanon's economic collapse has stripped the national
currency of most of its value and left four out of five inhabitants below the
poverty line.
The
crisis deepened when central bank started removing
subsidies in order to shore up its dwindling foreign currency reserves, making
the cost of fuel imports more expensive.
That has led to shortages of almost everything, with power
cuts lasting up to 22 hours a day and fuel for private generators increasingly
scarce.
Many hospitals have been forced to scale back operations
because of the shortages.
The UN children's agency UNICEF has repeatedly warned that a
near total shutdown of the water supply in Lebanon could threaten more than
four million people.
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