GENEVA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday in a social media post that urgent support is needed for the health systems of five countries affected by the conflict in the Middle East - Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Jordan.

Health systems in the affected countries are "under severe strain" following weeks of intensified violence, Tedros said, adding that the WHO has launched a 30.3 million U.S. dollar flash appeal to support its health response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with a focus on the five countries.

The appeal, covering the period from March to August 2026, aims to sustain essential health services and trauma care, strengthen disease surveillance and early warning systems, and enhance mass casualty management, as well as national readiness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies, Tedros noted.

According to the WHO, as of March 31, the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have triggered the displacement of more than 4 million people, with over 3,300 deaths and 30,000 injuries. ■