Lebanon
Operations in Lebanon
Locally hired staff
International mobile staff
Humanitarian needs in Lebanon post-ceasefire
Two months following the ceasefire agreement reached on 27th of November between Lebanon and Israel, the humanitarian needs in Lebanon persist.
As of 9th January (OCHA), an estimated 868,947 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have begun returning to heavily war-affected areas, notably in the South, Nabatieh, Baalbek-Hermel governorates, as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs. These returnees face massive destruction of their homes, civilian infrastructure, water distribution systems, and health facilities.
Lebanon is currently facing the dire consequences of war, and the road to recovery on both the infrastructure and human levels is a long way ahead.
Last update : January 18, 2025
Impact on civilians and internally displaced people
For returnees, access to basic services such as electricity, water, heating, food, relief items and healthcare poses a great challenge in the midst of destruction and the harsh winter weather.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have been donating relief items such as mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits, potable water, and providing primary healthcare through mobile teams in Beirut, South, Nabatieh, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel.
Those who found their homes destroyed or heavily damaged remain displaced, estimated at 115,439 people (OCHA). Many have had to seek shelter elsewhere within their communities, either renting houses when they have the means, or living in apartments belonging to family and friends.
Additionally, ongoing Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon has prevented many people from returning to their areas of origin in some villages.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, there have been incidents of Israeli bombardments and land incursions, which resulted in the killing of at least 27 civilians according to Lebanese authorities.
Access to healthcare:
Many hospitals and clinics in war-affected areas are either heavily damaged or completely destroyed, exacerbating an already dire situation.
The damage to these critical services creates a gap in medical care for those who need it. The needs in Lebanon shifted from providing healthcare in shelters and gathering points for displaced people during the war, to providing healthcare in areas heavily affected by bombardments.
In response, MSF continues to deploy 15 mobile medical teams all over Lebanon, four of them in Baalbek-Hermel governorate in the northern part of the country, six in the south of the country (South and Nabatieh governorates), while the other six respond to needs across Bekaa, Mount Lebanon and other areas.
Our teams have also reopened our long-standing clinic in Burj El-Barajneh, located in the hard-hit southern suburb of Beirut, after having to close its doors for two months amid Israeli bombardment. We have also reopened our clinic in Hermel at full capacity after limiting services to distribution of medication for non-communicable diseases to ensure continuity of care during the war.
MSF has provided more than 4967 medical consultations in south Lebanon one of the region most affected by the war, 4460 in Baalbek-Hermel and 1326 in Beirut since the ceasefire came into effect.
Emergency response
From 25 September to 11 November 2024:
- Medical consultations: 18,594
- Mental health sessions: 3,202
- Mental health helpline calls: 1,755
- Hygiene kits distributed: 18,198
- Meals distributed: 22,342
- Relief items distributed: 13,052 blankets and 10,766 mattresses
- Drinking water distributed: 134,905 litres
- Water supplied to shelters by trucks: 943,000 litres
- Fuel/diesel distributed to hospitals: 54,000 litres to hospitals
- Medical and non-medical supplies donated to hospitals/medical facilities: 1,922 kg
- Hospital workers trained for mass casualty incidents: 300 in 10 different hospitals
MSF history in Lebanon
MSF has maintained a continuous presence in Lebanon since 2008, ensuring access to free healthcare for the most vulnerable communities, including Lebanese citizens, displaced populations, refugees and migrant workers.
Healthcare services provided by our teams span from reproductive health support and mental health and psychosocial support services to the treatment of non-communicable diseases and routine vaccinations for children. In addition, our strategy involves strengthening access to care through reinforcing the capacities of healthcare providers at both local and national levels, aligning with our vision of fostering a sustainable, long-term response. This entails extensive staff training, the donation of essential medicines, incorporating mental health and social work services into these healthcare facilities, medical supplies, and the initiation of capacity-building programs for a diverse range of healthcare facilities throughout Lebanon. Additionally, we are partnering with local organizations and civil society initiatives to amplify community-led initiatives to address rapidly evolving needs.
For more details on MSF’s regular activities in Lebanon and the situation in Lebanon prior to this emergency, please refer to: Lebanon’s Activity Report 2023
Our activities in 2023
outpatient consultations
routine vaccinations
individual mental health consultations
births assisted
Lebanon hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees, 400,000 Palestinians and over 160,000 migrant workers, many of whom live in precarious conditions. Our teams assist the most vulnerable communities by providing reproductive, maternal and paediatric care, mental health support, treatment for chronic diseases, and routine vaccinations for children through our clinics across the country.
In addition, we are working to reinforce the national healthcare system and support local organisations affected by the socioeconomic crisis. This includes capacity building through training, and the provision of medicines and medical supplies to public healthcare centres, especially in Tripoli, northern Lebanon.
We are expanding collaborations with the Ministry of Health, local partners and other NGOs, such as Positive on Glucose (PoG), who advocate for individuals living with diabetes. With PoG, we conduct peer support sessions and staff training catering to the holistic needs of people with chronic diseases.
In mid-2023, we ceased our surgical activities in Bar Elias hospital, strategically reorienting our services to general care and support to the health system.
During the year, our teams also responded to health emergencies in various parts of the country, including the dire water and sanitation conditions in the northeast, where we offered treatment for water-borne diseases and distributed hygiene kits.
Following the escalation in conflict in southern Lebanon, we sent medical mobile teams to the Nabatiyeh area to address the growing needs of people who had been displaced since October 2023. We also provided trauma care and mass-casualty training in several hospitals across the country. In Ein Al-Hilweh camp, which hosts Palestinians, we treated people injured in armed clashes between rival factions.
In line with our aims to reduce our global carbon footprint, we installed solar panels in our clinics in Baalbek-Hermel.