[LCM Articles] WHO following up on fuel shortages

[tamara kanafani]

Karma El-Fadl has been working to urge WHO to secure fuel for hospitals in
Lebanon. Here is the news so far..


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Karma El-Fadl <kohkarma at yahoo.com>
Date: 10-Aug-2006 07:06
Subject: FYI...WHO following up on fuel shortages


Fuel shortages in Lebanon a grave threat to people's health
WHO urges all parties to secure safe passage of fuel supplies for health
facilities
7 AUGUST 2006 | GENEVA -- WHO warns that if fuel is not delivered this week,
60% of all hospitals in Lebanon, in addition to other health facilities will
simply cease to function. WHO urges all parties to ensure the safe passage
of fuel, as a matter of priority.
Due to the damage to infrastructure in the conflict-affected areas of
Lebanon, hospitals and other health centres are relying on fuel to run
generators. Power is essential to run operating theatres, life-saving
equipment including incubators for newborns, refrigeration for vaccines and
treatments including insulin. It is also essential for safe water provision
and hygiene.
Related links
:: *More on the Middle East humanitarian crisis*
WHO has received reports that fuel supplies are running dangerously low. One
hospital in Marjayoun, for example, reports that it will run out of fuel by
Wednesday.
"Based on available information, if there is no fuel delivered in the next
few days, more than half of the hospitals will not be able to operate by the
end of this week and the situation will be much worse next week," warned Dr
Ala Alwan, Representative of the WHO Director-General for Health Action in
Crises.
Lebanon has 12 000 hospital beds. A reasonable estimate is that, in order to
function, each hospital bed needs 80 litres of fuel per week for electric
power. Up until now, fuel deliveries have been severely hampered because of
the ongoing military operations.
Without fuel, hospitals will be paralyzed. "Fuel is key in any basic
infrastructure. The provision of fuel is a matter of life or death in a
hospital setting. We urge all parties to ensure safe passage of fuel
supplies to hospitals" said Dr Alwan.
Fuel shipments are ready to be sent to Lebanon as soon as the security
situation allows. Fuel tanks are also ready to be sent from Beirut to other
areas in Lebanon in convoys, provided security is ensured.
*For more information contact:*

Fadéla Chaib
Communications officer
WHO/Geneva
Telephone: + 41 22 791 32 28
E-mail: *chaibf at who.int* <chaibf at who.int>

Rana Sidani
Information officer
WHO/Geneva
Telephone: + 41 22 791 55 73
E-mail: *sidanir at who.int* <sidanir at who.int>

Chris Black
Communications officer
Beirut
Telephone: + 41 79 472 60 54
E-mail: *blackc at who.int* <blackc at who.int>

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