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STORY: GENEVA / LEBANON WHO INTERVIEW
TRT: 04:08
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 09 APRIL 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON / FILE
FILE
1. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“What we are getting from the Minister of Health, is over 200 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. Among them, women, and children. And also, we have, you know, the first responders and healthcare workers were also reported (among) the deaths. Many victims remain missing under the rubble. And hospitals continue to receive reports of the unidentified bodies, actually, and body parts that have been recovered. This highlights the devastation of scale of this attack.”
FILE
3. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“There are 1,000 casualties within a very short period, and you can imagine now the hospitals to manage all that overwhelming casualties. I think this number of injuries has overwhelmed the emergency department, the trauma services across the country. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing as we speak right now, and health authorities continue to update the figures as they continue to coordinate response effort.”
FILE
5. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Many of these healthcare workers were displaced themselves because they've been affected by the conflict, and many of the healthcare attacks, actually, that happened in the last 40 days, actually, that has killed over 50 healthcare workers and have wounded over 150 healthcare workers. This clearly shows that the impact of this conflict is having to the health system in general in Lebanon.”
FILE
7. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“WHO is working closely with the Minister of Health, we are working closely with the health department, we are working with the healthcare workers in different syndicates, and our responsibility is to provide the supports that they need, whether it's a technical, financial, but also more in materials. As I have said earlier, hospitals across Lebanon are operating in critical capacity facing unprecedented surge of patients with severe and complex injuries. In order for hospitals to maintain that level of operation, actually, they need a continuous support of supplies.”
FILE
9. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“My office is in the middle of Beirut, and while I was in my office, actually, I could see in my window, actually, 10 different strikes in front of me, 10 different airstrikes in front of me, and buildings collapsing. And imagine now those people who are inside in those buildings, on those people nearby. That's why we said that it was the worst single daily attack, and also when it comes to the casualty.”
FILE
11. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“We have observed an increase in targeted attacks for healthcare, whether it's healthcare workers, first responders, the ambulances, you know, the health facilities and healthcare facilities, the warehouses, and I think what we have documented as a WHO and verified is we have almost over 50, you know, deaths and over 150 injuries of the first responders and healthcare workers. It's not only, of course, it's very sad we lost lives, it's very sad we lost our professionals, it's very sad we lost our volunteers who have dedicated their life and their time to help others. But what's more important also is that the impact is having to access to the services to those people who are in need.”
FILE
13. Close up, United Nations flag
26 MARCH 2026, BEIRUT, LEBANON
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, Representative in Lebanon, World Health Organization (WHO):
“I would like to appeal to the international community that we really need urgent resources and funds for us to continue assisting those people who are in need, whether it's health, shelter, and all other sectors. Otherwise, we will not be able to provide those life-saving interventions and support that we have, unless we receive resources.”
FILE
15. Close up, United Nations flag
Following Israeli attacks in Lebanon that caused over 200 deaths and over 1,000 people injured, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) representative in Lebanon, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, today (9 Apr) said “hospitals across Lebanon are operating in critical capacity facing unprecedented surge of patients with severe and complex injuries,” and need support and supplies “in order for hospitals to maintain that level of operation”
Abubakar said that according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, the dead and injured include women and children, as well as first responders and healthcare workers.
Many victims, he said, “remain missing under the rubble” and hospitals “continue to receive reports of the unidentified bodies, actually, and body parts that have been recovered.”
Abubakar said “there are 1,000 casualties within a very short period,” and “this number of injuries has overwhelmed the emergency department, the trauma services across the country,” while “search and rescue operations are still ongoing as we speak.”
He said, “many of these healthcare workers, were displaced themselves because they've been affected by the conflict, and many of the healthcare attacks, actually, that happened in the last 40 days, actually, that has killed over 50 healthcare workers and have wounded over 150 healthcare workers.”
The WHO, Abubakar said, “is working closely with the Minister of Health, we are working closely with the health department, we are working with the healthcare workers in different syndicates, and our responsibility is to provide the supports that they need, whether it's a technical, financial, but also more in materials.”
He noted that his office “is in the middle of Beirut,” and said through his window he saw, “10 different airstrikes in front of me, and buildings collapsing.”
The WHO official said, “we have observed an increase in targeted attacks for healthcare, whether it's healthcare workers, first responders, the ambulances, you know, the health facilities and healthcare facilities, the warehouses, and I think what we have documented as a WHO and verified is we have almost over 50, you know, deaths and over 150 injuries of the first responders and healthcare workers.”
He said, “it's very sad we lost lives, it's very sad we lost our professionals, it's very sad we lost our volunteers who have dedicated their life and their time to help others. But what's more important also is that the impact is having to access to the services to those people who are in need.”
Abubakar appealed to the international community for “urgent resources and funds for us to continue assisting those people who are in need, whether it's health, shelter, and all other sectors. Otherwise, we will not be able to provide those life-saving interventions and support that we have.”
According to the WHO, attacks on health care have increased across the region, undermining health system functionality and violating international humanitarian law. The rise has been particularly pronounced in Lebanon, with attacks affecting hospitals, ambulances and health workers.
