Caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad. (Credit: Abiad's office)
BEIRUT — Caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad visited on Saturday hospitals in southern Lebanon damaged by Israeli airstrikes and thanked the health sector for their work amid the difficult circumstances Lebanon went through, promising compensations to hospital workers and adding that Lebanon "entered a phase of reconstruction."
Abiad toured hospitals in the South and Nabatieh districts and inspected the Tibnin Governmental Hospital, where he was briefed on the extensive damage in the hospital as a result of the Israeli attacks.
He was welcomed by the mayor of Tibnin Nabil Fawaz, the chairman of the hospital's board of directors Dr. Mohammad Hamadi, and members of the hospital's medical staff.
While addressing the medical staff, Abiad said, “It is our duty to come to you and say thank you. Thank you for your steadfastness amid a very large crisis that we went through ... The crisis required heroes and you, in the health sector, were our heroes in the face of the crisis.”
“We are now entering a phase of reconstruction, and here we affirm our commitment to rebuilding the health and hospital sector,” added Abiad, who affirmed that contacts were being made with the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO) to help with this reconstruction. He promised Tibnin hospital employees that they would receive compensation.
Abiad recently said that at least 4,047 people have been killed and 16,593 wounded in Lebanon as a result of Israeli attacks since Oct. 8, 2023.