USAID provides over $17.4M in additional humanitarian aid for vulnerable Lebanese

To help vulnerable Lebanese "continue to put food on the table and access medical care," the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than $17.4 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Lebanon via the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the U.S. Embassy said.

"As staple food and fuel prices rise and livelihoods erode, Lebanon’s deepening economic crisis continues to generate humanitarian needs by decreasing vulnerable populations’ purchasing power, and restricting access to healthcare," the Embassy said in a statement.

With more than $11.1 million in additional USAID humanitarian assistance, WFP will provide 300,000 vulnerable Lebanese people with monthly household food parcels for approximately two months, helping improve food security for some 75,000 households.

The WFP food parcels, which are purchased locally in Lebanon to support the local economy, provide about 65 percent of daily caloric needs and contain grains such as rice and bulgur; pulses such as lentils, beans, and chickpeas; pasta; canned fish; oil; and other staples.

"WFP’s food parcel program complements national social safety net programs led by the Government of Lebanon and targets vulnerable Lebanese people who are not reached by the safety nets," the statement said.

Additionally, through nearly $6.3 million in USAID humanitarian assistance, Relief International (RI) and International Medical Corps (IMC) will continue supporting at least 11 primary healthcare clinics across Lebanon, as well as home care. With USAID funding, RI- and IMC-supported clinics treated more than 96,000 patients, approximately 72 percent of whom were Lebanese, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.

"The United States continues to stand with the people in Lebanon during their time of need," the statement added.