WHO warns Mideast health systems nearing collapse amid war on Iran

WASHINGTON (MNTV) — The World Health Organization has called for an immediate halt to fighting across the Middle East, warning that a full-scale regional health crisis is unfolding in real time.

Hanan Balkhy, the WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said health systems across multiple countries are under extreme pressure, with hospitals and medical services increasingly unable to cope with the scale of the crisis.

“The situation has been quite difficult for some time, but what we’re seeing today is an actual regional health crisis unfolding in real time,” she said.

Balkhy stressed that the crisis extends far beyond immediate casualties, pointing to a growing collapse in access to basic healthcare services. She warned that medical facilities must be protected as safe spaces, amid increasing risks to civilian infrastructure.

She also raised alarm over potential threats to nuclear sites and water desalination facilities, cautioning that any damage to such systems could trigger catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

The WHO said mass displacement is compounding the crisis, with an estimated 3.2 million people displaced in Iran and more than one million in Lebanon in recent weeks.

Balkhy warned that the long-term impact could be severe, including rising maternal mortality rates, deteriorating mental health conditions, and a generation of children losing access to education and family support.

The warning comes amid continued military escalation, including Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon, as well as a joint US-Israeli offensive targeting Iran. Tehran has responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, further intensifying the humanitarian strain.

Observers say the destruction of healthcare systems, combined with ongoing displacement and infrastructure damage, risks creating a prolonged public health emergency with consequences far beyond the battlefield.