GENEVA - September 29 - For the first time since hostilities ended, almost 400,000 people living in the southern suburbs of Beirut will again have access to drinking water. The Meshref water station will provide 12,000 cubic metres of water per day to the areas of Bourj Al Barajneh, Haret Hreik, Khaldeh and Shiah. The ICRC has installed a huge (700 kVA) generator and the other equipment needed to run the station’s four wells. The project, implemented in cooperation with the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment, will increase the daily water supply in areas affected by the recent hostilities. More than 500,000 people live in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Another similar project currently under way in the area of Dayshounieh will help supply the remaining southern suburbs with drinking water.

The ICRC also supplied 16,000 litres of fuel to help run water stations in the south of the country, in the areas of Bustan, Majdel Zoon, Marwahin, Rachaf, Zalouteh, Ainata and Bent Jbeil.

ICRC continues to support medical facilities and helps run emergency services

The ICRC continued to support medical facilities run by the Lebanese Red Cross Society (LRCS) and others. As the lack of electricity is still hampering the smooth running of medical services, the ICRC supplied Salah Ghandour hospital in Bent Jbeil with a 150 kVA generator to help maintain emergency services. The hospital has also been provided with enough medical supplies to treat chronic diseases for the next three months.

During the last week, the ICRC started supplying medical items to the LRCS to help it run its emergency medical services – the LRCS runs the bulk of ambulance services in the country. Supplies included dressings for burns, medical supplies for treating war casualties, resuscitation equipment, first aid bags and other items.

The ICRC continues to respond to the most urgent needs of the sick and wounded, based on regular assessments carried out in cooperation with the LRCS and the local health authorities.

Displaced families and vulnerable people receive food and other essentials from the ICRC

Displaced persons, their host families and vulnerable people have received aid from the ICRC through the LRCS emergency medical services in Dahiyeh (Hay El Selloum and Mreijeh) and through the Civil Campaign for Relief in Beirut (Khanda El Ghamik and Cola):

During the past week, a total of 1,500 food rations, 1,500 bags of rice (each of 25 kg), almost 13,000 jars of baby food, 1,500 baby kits, 1,500 hygiene kits, 1,500 household hygiene kits, 1,500 kitchen sets and 1,500 blankets have been distributed.

In the south of the country, over 700 families living in Borj El Qalaouway, Qabrikha and Kounine received food and other essentials from the ICRC, while baby hygiene kits were distributed to 13 villages south of Marjayoun.

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