9 July 2021 – As the lead agency in supporting the health system in Lebanon, WHO, along with partners, is overseeing the complete reconstruction of the Ministry of Public Health’s Central Drugs Warehouse, which was destroyed in the 4 August port blast, with funding from WHO, the Government of Japan and the State of Kuwait.
The initial plan was to expand the facility through rehabilitating warehouse A to increase medication stock management efficiency complying with WHO good storage and distribution practices and without affecting the daily functions and activities of the warehouse. Following the blast, the plan was adjusted to include the complete reconstruction of warehouses A and B, thereby increasing storage capacity from 3000 m3 to 8000 m3.
Warehouse A has cold rooms, offices and dedicated space for short-term storage and capacity for order preparations and delivering supplies out. Warehouse B has dedicated space for long-term storage and safe rooms for high value medications.
The cost of the complete rehabilitation of the Central Drugs Warehouse with 2 new steel structures is over US$ 2 million.
