The 2024 Lebanon conflict: a multidimensional assessment of syndemic impacts on public health and sustainable development goals

Lebanon entered the 2024 armed conflict with health, environmental, and social systems already weakened by successive crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged economic collapse, and the 2020 Beirut Port explosion. This narrative review aimed to synthesize evidence on the documented and anticipated effects of the conflict on public health, healthcare services, the environment, food security, education, and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Evidence was drawn from peer-reviewed studies and reports issued by governmental institutions and international organizations. Documented damage to hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, together with disruptions to medical supply chains, affected routine and emergency care and complicated the management of chronic diseases. Population displacement, overcrowding, and interruptions to essential services also increased the risk of infectious disease transmission and created conditions that may facilitate the spread and emergence of antimicrobial resistance, particularly in displaced and otherwise vulnerable populations. Concurrently, explosive weapons, fires, and infrastructure damage affected air, water, soil, agricultural land, and ecosystems. These environmental and agricultural impacts created plausible pathways linking conflict-related damage to food security, livelihoods, and long-term population health, although direct epidemiological evidence remains limited. Overall, the conflict generated interconnected pressures across health, environmental, and social systems and compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities. Coordinated recovery efforts should restore healthcare capacity, protect environmental and agricultural resources, strengthen surveillance, and support essential social services to reduce long-term harm and promote sustainable recovery.