The crisis in the Middle East complicates aid delivery and overwhelms the healthcare system

Humanitarian organizations worldwide are facing difficulties amid the crisis in the Middle East, which disrupts global supply chains and negatively affects the delivery of vital aid.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the consequences of the crisis have already spread far beyond the region. This is especially felt acutely in countries of Asia and Africa, where humanitarian structures face a sharp increase in needs and logistical disruptions. The rise in fuel prices and transportation costs, as well as instability on key routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, lead to delays in deliveries and force humanitarian agencies to use longer and more expensive routes.

Difficulties with transporting humanitarian cargo

In some cases, transportation costs have more than doubled, and delivery times have increased significantly, which further complicates the work of humanitarian organizations. As highlighted by UNHCR representative Carlotta Wolf, the rise in prices for transport and fuel particularly painfully affects people who find themselves in emergency situations. According to her, if interruptions in deliveries occur, this could reduce the scale and delay the provision of aid to millions of people in need.

On the eve, as has already been noted, efforts are being made to prevent a further escalation of the food crisis.

The Head of the UN Operations Project Service (UNOPS) will travel to the region in the coming days to hold talks on the creation of a mechanism that will facilitate the transit of fertilizers and related raw materials. It is expected that this mechanism will help partially stabilize global supplies and reduce risks to food security, especially in African and Asian countries most vulnerable to disruptions in international trade and logistics.

In the current crisis, the country is facing a tense situation in the field of healthcare, including in Lebanon and Iran. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), despite existing ceasefire agreements, healthcare systems in these countries continue to operate under difficult conditions.

In Lebanon, a significant part of medical institutions remains closed, and access restrictions continue to hinder the provision of assistance, although medicine supplies generally remain stable. In Iran, on the contrary, there is a recorded shortage of medicines and medical materials, which negatively affects the operation of the healthcare system, and the consequences are going beyond the zones of direct combat operations.

WHO warns that interruptions in the provision of basic medical services, including assistance to mothers and newborns, can have severe consequences. The agency also notes that it has already delivered medical supplies worth more than 3 million dollars, providing aid to approximately seven million people in Gaza (via Egypt) and Afghanistan using land and air routes.

An assessment of needs is currently being conducted, including among people with chronic diseases. At the same time, WHO is monitoring attacks on medical infrastructure and identifying areas where urgent support is required.