A significant supply of powdered milk, medical supplies and medicines to combat acute illnesses and treat other pathologies was delivered in recent days to the Lebanese Red Cross and the Crisis Unit of the municipality of Tyre by the Italian "blue helmets" of the United Nations Interim Force deployed in South Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The drugs are mostly antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatories for the treatment of heart disease, diabetes, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal diseases and urinary tract infections. Powdered milk, on the other hand, will serve not only to guarantee the nutritional needs necessary for the growth and development of newborns and children, but also to prevent malnutrition, diseases and, in the worst cases, death.
The material, which includes a large quantity of syringes, latex gloves and gauze, was delivered to the heads of the Lebanese Red Cross and the Crisis Unit of the municipality of Tyre, who will provide transportation and distribution to the displaced persons in the border areas of southern Lebanon, victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has had major repercussions in the country and in the area of operations of the UN "blue helmets".
During the meeting with the members of the Lebanese organizations, General Stefano Messina, commander of the Italian contingent and of the Western sector of Unifil, highlighted the role played in the circumstance by the "Italian system". Messina, in fact, explained that the donation - the result of close coordination between the operational command of interforce forces of Defense, Banco Farmaceutico Onlus, “Vivere per amare – Live to love” Onlus and the civil-military cooperation component of the Italian contingent of Unifil - “it will serve to guarantee immediate and coordinated action for the feeding of infants and children and for the health support of Lebanese individuals and families, who are in dramatic conditions due to the devastating effects of the conflict that has been going on for more than a year”.
Heartfelt and unanimous was the thanks addressed to Italy and to the soldiers of the Italian contingent of UNIFIL by Hassan Dbouk, in his dual role as mayor and president of the Union of Municipalities of Tyre, by Mortada Mhana, director of the Crisis Unit of the homonymous district, and by the leaders of the Lebanese Red Cross. “for the great attention and closeness to the local population in such a particular moment, which once again sees the most fragile people exposed”.
According to the United Nations, since October 7, more than a million people, equivalent to over a sixth of the population, have been forced to abandon their homes or leave the country.
On the sidelines of the donation, Mayor Hassan Dbouk, with a resolution of the municipal council, awarded General Messina the honorary citizenship of Tyre. “for offering his continuous and constant commitment to the development and support of the local population and all the authorities during the Unifil – Leonte XXXVI mission. We feel honored to have found new brothers”, we read further in the motivation, “who have done their utmost to help us improve the fortunes of our land by alleviating the suffering of our people”.
Assistance to the Lebanese population is one of the main tasks assigned to the Italian contingent of UNIFIL in compliance with Resolution 1701 of the UN Security Council.
