BEIRUT —  Caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad announced the opening of new departments at the Turkish Hospital in Saida on Monday, as continuous Israeli attacks have rendered eight hospitals across Lebanon inoperable.

During a press conference at the hospital, Abiad outlined that the new departments will begin offering services on Tuesday, focusing on two key programs: "treating burns from war-related injuries and providing follow-up care of restoration and rehabilitation for patients after their initial treatment."

The first program represents additional support for the region after the ministry established a similar department in the Nabatieh Hospital, which faced difficult security conditions due to its location, necessitating a parallel facility.

Regarding the second program, Abiad explained that Lebanon has surpassed the threshold of 13,000 wounded as a result of the war since last October — a large number of whom require secondary or rehabilitation surgeries — and the program is tasked with following up on these matters.

He also condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on medical crews and health facilities, noting that the Tebnin Governmental Hospital and the Baalbeck Governmental Hospital have both suffered "severe damage." He reiterated that these actions constitute war crimes, highlighting that Lebanon, through the Foreign Affairs Ministry, has lodged a complaint with the U.N. Security Council detailing the attacks.

Hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel turned into a full-scale war on Sept. 23 after the Israeli army launched extensive strikes across Lebanon followed by a ground offensive a week later.

"It was important to maintain the readiness of the health sector and the capacity of hospitals, so we decided to open part of the Turkish Hospital in Saida to start providing services as of tomorrow morning," Abiad said.

He specified that the newly opened departments include an emergency room, a section for war and accident victims, two operating rooms, four intensive care units for the injured, beds, clinics for burn treatment and a physiotherapy department.

The minister recalled that the hospital had previously opened radiology, chemotherapy and laboratory departments, among others. According to our correspondent in the South Muntasser Abdallah, these departments opened in February this year.

Abiad recalled that the hospital previously inaugurated radiology, chemotherapy and laboratory departments, which, according to our correspondent in the region, opened in February this year.

He emphasized that establishing these new departments under current circumstances was challenging, calling it a significant "achievement for the hospital's leadership and partners" and an important step toward the hospital's full inauguration.

Abiad expressed gratitude to the Turkish government for the hospital project, which cost $20 million and was overseen by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Originally launched in 2010, the construction of the Turkish hospital had been stalled for years due to political disputes.

Finally, Abiad renewed his appeal to the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting health facilities and workers.