With thousands of displaced South Lebanese residents returning to their communities following the recent conflict, doctors and healthcare professionals from UNIFIL’s Indian contingent have intensified their medical and veterinary support efforts benefitting the returnees.

The peacekeepers have provided free check-ups, medications and veterinary assistance in different communities. In February alone, 332 patients in the villages of Kawkaba, Halta, El Hebbariye, Kfar Shouba, Kfar Hammam and Shab’a   benefitted from the assistance. Additionally, about 6,500 cattle also received treatment.

Commander  of the Indian contingent Colonel Ajit Singh Negi emphasized that the initiative aimed to address critical shortages of healthcare services in these areas that – like many other southern villages and towns – were heavily impacted by the recent conflict.

“The aftermath of the unrest left local communities without access to fundamental healthcare, with many individuals unable to receive even the most basic medical attention,” he said. “In response to this urgent need, Indian peacekeepers   swiftly mobilized their resources  to ensure the affected population received the necessary care.”

The medical and dental camps offered a wide range of services, from routine check-ups and treatment for common ailments to dental care. In the first week of March, similar camps were organized in El Mari and El Fraidiss, benefiting another 50 patients of all age groups. The Indian peacekeeping medical team also provided preventive treatments, including essential medicines, and educated community members on basic hygiene practices to mitigate future health risks.

According to the Displacement Tracking Matrix of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of 26 February, approximately 950,000 displaced people have returned to their places of origin, while nearly 100,000 remain displaced across Lebanon.