The World Health Organization said its global health emergencies logistics hub in Dubai was resuming operations on Friday after a pause caused by the war in the Middle East.

“One of our most immediate concerns is the disruption of humanitarian health supply chains. After a temporary pause, WHO’s Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics is today resuming operations,” Hanan Balkhy, the UN health agency’s Eastern Mediterranean regional chief, told a press conference in Geneva, speaking from Cairo.

The hub had been forced to suspend operations due to regional insecurity, airspace closures, and restrictions affecting access to the Strait of Hormuz.

The disruption prevented access to $18 million in humanitarian health supplies, with another $8 million in shipments unable to reach the hub. More than 50 emergency supply requests from 25 countries, including $6 million in medicines for Gaza, were affected.

“The Dubai hub is an extremely important lifeline for the humanitarian response,” Balkhy said, adding that operations were being coordinated with authorities in the United Arab Emirates and other hubs in Nairobi, Dakar, and Brindisi to ensure continuity.

Last year, the Dubai hub processed over 500 emergency orders for 75 countries. WHO said it would continue monitoring the situation and exploring alternative routes, including potential road shipments through Saudi Arabia, if the conflict persists.