WHO urges $30.3 million for war-hit health systems

World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday, April 3, renewed an urgent appeal for $30.3 million in immediate funding to sustain critical health services in countries affected by the ongoing conflict.

The funding request is intended to support strained healthcare systems in Iran and four Arab countries — Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria — where medical infrastructure is under increasing pressure.

“This appeal will support essential health services and trauma care, disease surveillance and early warning systems, mass casualty management and national readiness for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear emergencies,” he said on the social platform X.

According to available figures, the conflict has so far resulted in 3,300 deaths, left 30,000 people wounded, and displaced more than 4 million individuals.

The World Health Organisation initially launched the funding appeal on Thursday, April 2, specifying that the requested amount is intended to cover urgent needs over a six-month period from March through August 2026.

By Tamilla Hasanova