Cairo, Egypt – The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released $2mn from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to bolster the health response in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. Announced on March 15, the allocation aims to address the escalating humanitarian needs caused by intensifying conflict across the Middle East. This internal financing mechanism allows for the immediate deployment of resources to sustain frontline health workers and maintain critical care services while further international donor support is mobilised.

Lebanon will receive a $1mn share of the funds to strengthen its emergency coordination and scale up trauma care. The country′s health infrastructure has faced significant damage and a surge in injured patients alongside large−scale population displacement. In Iraq, a $500,000 allocation will assist hospitals under pressure near conflict zones, focusing on mass-casualty management, mental health support, and disease surveillance. Syria is also set to receive $500,000 to provide life-saving health services for over 100,000 people who have recently crossed from Lebanon.

Dr Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, emphasised that the escalating conflict is placing immense demands on already strained health systems. While recent contributions from countries such as Canada, Kuwait, and Portugal have helped replenish the emergency fund, the organisation warns that the fund is severely depleted. Prior to the latest escalation, the WHO required $633mn for its 2026 health emergency appeals, a target that currently remains less than forty per cent funded.