Rochdi on Friday said that the UN’s Emergency Response Plan had been able to provide “3.1 million liters of fuel to 515 critical facilities delivering vital services. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT - UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi on Friday urged “the government of Lebanon to take its responsibility” as she outlined the achievements of the United Nations coordinated US$383 million Emergency Response Plan.
Here’s what we know:
• In a statement on the plan’s achievements to date, Rochdi said that the UN’s Emergency Response Plan had been able to provide “3.1 million liters of fuel to 515 critical facilities delivering vital services, including over 195 health facilities and 320 water pumping stations.”
• The statement also noted that the more than 300 water pumping stations provided with fuel lessened “most vulnerable families’ dependence towards more expensive alternatives such as bottled or trucked water tankers.” The need for electricity to keep the water pumping process operational means that interruptions in fuel supply jeopardize Lebanon’s access to water, as many residents, organizations and businesses rely on diesel-run generators to bridge the extensive gaps in the state power supply.
• The statement continued by describing the impact of the plan on the health sector. “The provision of emergency fuel has allowed 24 public hospitals to remain open, supporting more than 887 functional hospital beds, including care for COVID-19 patients,” it read. A number of hospitals in Lebanon have this year faced operational risks and warned of potential closure due to a lack of fuel.
• In light of the thousands of households whose wellbeing is compromised by the fuel crisis in Lebanon, Rochdi called on Lebanon’s government “to take its responsibility in ensuring that families in Lebanon have unhindered access to essential services and in implementing necessary measures to sustainably address the ongoing energy crisis.”