March 2026- The World Health Organization has raised serious concerns over the rapidly escalating situation across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, warning of mounting civilian casualties, attacks on healthcare facilities, and disruptions to critical humanitarian supply chains.
Speaking at the Director-General’s press conference, Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said more than 1,000 people have reportedly been killed and around 7,000 injured across the region as violence intensifies.
One of WHO’s most pressing concerns is the continued targeting of healthcare. Over the past week, the organization verified 13 attacks on health facilities in Iran and one in Lebanon. In Lebanon, evacuation orders have led to the closure of 43 primary healthcare centres and two hospitals, while several paramedics have been killed or injured during emergency response efforts.
Dr Balkhy stressed that health workers, patients and medical facilities must be protected at all times, including during armed conflict.
The crisis is also affecting humanitarian logistics. WHO’s Global Health Emergencies Logistics Hub in Dubai has temporarily suspended operations due to insecurity, airspace closures and restrictions on access through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption has blocked access to approximately US$18 million worth of humanitarian health supplies, while an additional US$8 million in shipments cannot reach the hub.
As a result, more than 50 emergency supply requests from 25 countries have been affected. This includes US$6 million in medicines intended for Gaza and US$1.6 million in laboratory supplies for polio response.
WHO noted that nearly half of the world’s humanitarian health needs are concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The organization is currently coordinating health responses with national authorities and partners to maintain essential services, strengthen disease survellance, and prepare for potential mass casualties and displacement.
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WHO is also pre-positioning trauma supplies and essential medicines while increasing preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks.
However, Dr Balkhy warned that WHO’s emergency operations across the region face a 70 percent funding gap. Without urgent financial support, essential health services may be severely disrupted, leading to further preventable suffering.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to supporting affected populations and health systems across the region.
