WHO declares that Libya is going through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis

  Geneva, September 14, 2023  (LANA) - The Regional Director of the World Health Organization "WHO", for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said that Libya is going through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, due to the rainstorm “Daniel,” which caused the largest and worst floods the country has witnessed in the last century, as the damage extended. The huge disaster affected between 1.5 and 1.8 million people in eastern Libya.

Al-Mandhari added, in an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, today, Thursday, that all those affected by the floods are in dire need of urgent forms of support, basic health services, and life-saving interventions, stressing at the same time that those affected are at increased risk of water-borne diseases, and other diseases that spread in these similar conditions.

With the numbers increasing in this way, the response teams are in urgent need of body bags, in addition to basic living supplies for the survivors, and the number of missing people increased from about 5,000 to 9,000 people as of the day before yesterday, while the floods caused the destruction of infrastructure and public facilities, and disrupted roads between regions, and interruption of electricity and means of communication.

Al-Mandhari confirmed the organization's readiness to support the response to this disaster, and that it is in close contact through its office in Libya with the Ministry of Health, to identify urgent needs and provide support in the health response in the affected areas, especially since the current catastrophic situation requires the solidarity of the donor community and all partners.

=Lana=