Lebanon: Economic Crash Leaves Prisoners Forgotten With Little Medical Care

 The economic crisis in Lebanon has affected prisoners severely. Prisoners in overcrowded jails are left without medical care, while relatives cannot afford to visit. Prisoners cannot get medical treatment unless they pay for it privately.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been suffering a severe economic crisis. The currency has lost 90 percent of its value. People are unable to buy basic goods like food or sanitary items. Power cuts are also common in the country because of fuel shortages. Reportedly, a massive currency depreciation affected prisoners as they got no access to medical care. It is hard for prisoners to pay privately for medical care as they do not have enough money due to the economic crisis.

The economic crisis in Lebanon

Reportedly, the country is in the third year of an economic meltdown. It began in 2019 when the financial system of Lebanon collapsed by corruption, mismanagement, and huge state debt. The Beirut port explosion also affected the country. The explosion was caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely for years. 

Reportedly, poverty has also risen to 80 percent, and many struggles to afford meals and medicines. The crisis has affected the monthly minimum wage of people. Lebanon has a population of six million including a million Syrian refugees. The economic crisis pushed more than half the population into poverty. In January, protestors across the country protested against corruption and demanded electricity.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the port blast affected children and youth’s education. In an October 2021 UNICEF survey, 12 percent of families said they send at least one child to work. The World Bank ranked the Lebanon economic crisis as among the most severe globally since the mid-19th century. The World Bank Lebanon Economic Monitor Fall 2021 report also categorized the crisis as the top three most severe economic collapses worldwide since the 1850s.