BEIRUT, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) signed on Monday in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) a grant agreement with the Lebanese Health Ministry to renovate a hospital severely damaged in Beirut Port's blasts, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

The agreement values 2 million euros (2.37 million U.S. dollars).

By rehabilitating and operating the new building of the Karantina Governmental Hospital, the project aims at restoring the most vulnerable residents' access to basic health care services and ensuring that mothers and the most vulnerable children receive quality care in the current complex circumstances.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo said this funding is an additional contribution by France to the reconstruction of Beirut after the blasts, which happened on Aug. 4, 2020.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Yukie Mokuo said that the rehabilitation of the hospital is part of UNICEF's long-term commitment to rebuilding Beirut.

Karantina Governmental Hospital is a refuge for the most marginalized people requiring medical care.