Deteriorating Water and Sanitation Conditions Threaten the Return of Cholera to Lebanon... Among the Displaced
The risk of cholera spreading among the displaced highlights the fragility of Lebanon's health infrastructure and its inability to deal with humanitarian crises resulting from regional conflicts
October 17, 2024, 12:08 am

Deteriorating Water and Sanitation Conditions Threaten the Return of Cholera to Lebanon... Among the Displaced

الدمار في لبنان \ تعبيرية \ متداولة

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stern warning about the increased risk of cholera outbreak in Lebanon, amid deteriorating health conditions caused by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The WHO representative in Lebanon, Abdelnacer Abou Bakr, confirmed that the disease could spread rapidly among hundreds of thousands of displaced people who have fled conflict areas.

These warnings come after confirmation of the first cholera case in Lebanon in a long time, raising fears of a return of the disease, which last saw an outbreak in the country 30 years ago. The organization pointed to the deterioration of water and sanitation conditions among the displaced and their host communities as a major factor increasing the risk of infection spread.

Despite previous efforts to vaccinate the displaced in northern Lebanon, Abou Bakr warned that some groups of new displaced people from southern Lebanon and the Beirut area have not acquired any immunity against cholera for decades, making them particularly vulnerable to infection.

In response to this threat, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed enhanced surveillance and tracking efforts, including water sample testing. However, the vaccination campaign launched by the Lebanese Ministry of Health in August, which targeted 350,000 people in high-risk areas, has been halted due to escalating violence.

This situation highlights the significant challenges facing the Lebanese health system, which is already suffering from multiple crises. It also underscores the urgent need to improve water and sanitation infrastructure, especially in areas hosting large numbers of displaced people.

These developments call for intensified international and local efforts to support the health sector in Lebanon and ensure the provision of basic health care and prevention of infectious diseases under the difficult circumstances the country is going through. They also emphasize the importance of neutralizing health and humanitarian issues from political and military conflicts to ensure the safety of civilians and displaced persons.

Levant-Agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”