The World Health Organization (WHO) has released $2 million in emergency funding to support urgent health responses in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, as escalating conflict and displacement place mounting pressure on already strained health systems across the Middle East.
The funds come from WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), a rapid financing mechanism designed to enable the organization to respond quickly to health crises while additional donor support is mobilized.
The agency said the allocation aims to sustain life-saving services, strengthen disease surveillance, and ensure essential medical supplies reach affected communities.
Under the funding plan, $1 million will be directed to Lebanon, where a surge in injuries, damage to health facilities and large-scale displacement have severely strained medical services.
WHO said the funding will help strengthen emergency coordination through the country’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, expand trauma care services, and support the procurement and distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies.
The remaining $1 million will be split equally between Iraq and Syria, with each country receiving $500,000. In Iraq, the funds will support hospitals facing increased demand due to violence and unrest, enabling emergency coordination, mass-casualty management and the provision of mental health and psychosocial support services.
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In Syria, WHO said the funding will help deliver essential medicines and health services to displaced populations, while strengthening disease surveillance to detect and respond to potential outbreaks.
The agency noted that more than 104,000 people have recently crossed into Syria from Lebanon, while over 116,000 internally displaced people remain in fragile conditions in northeastern communities. According to WHO officials, the support is critical at a time when regional health systems are already under severe stress.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, warned that escalating conflict is intensifying demand for health services across the region. She said emergency funding is vital to sustain frontline health workers and maintain critical care services during the crisis.
The health agency also highlighted the broader funding challenge. WHO’s 2026 emergency appeals for the Eastern Mediterranean region total $633 million, but as of March they were only about 37% funded.
WHO indicated that further support from the contingency fund could also be extended to Iran if requested, as the organization continues monitoring the evolving humanitarian and health needs across the region.
