The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Sunday that improving the “catastrophic” health situation in Gaza is nearly impossible. The WHO board passed an emergency motion proposed by Afghanistan, Qatar, Yemen, and Morocco, seeking increased medical access. The motion aims to allow entry for medical personnel and supplies into Gaza, document violence against healthcare workers and patients, and secure funding to rebuild hospitals.
In Gaza, Palestinian officials have described a dire health situation due to Israel’s assault, leaving much of the population homeless with limited access to electricity, food, and clean water. The health system is on the verge of collapse. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing the board in Geneva, highlighted the surge in medical needs, an increased risk of disease, and the health system operating at a third of its pre-conflict capacity.
Gaza’s hospitals have been bombarded and some have been besieged or raided as part of Israel’s response to Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7. Hospitals that remain open are overwhelmed, conducting procedures without anesthetics. A WHO database shows there have been 449 attacks on healthcare facilities in Palestinian territories since Oct. 7, without assigning blame.
Tedros expressed difficulty meeting the board’s requests due to the security situation on the ground. He regretted the UN Security Council’s failure to agree on a Gaza ceasefire after a U.S. veto. “Resupplying health facilities has become extremely difficult and is deeply compromised by the security situation on the ground and inadequate resupply from outside Gaza,” he said.
WHO emergency sessions are rare and have taken place during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and West Africa’s Ebola epidemic in 2015. Qatar, which has mediated in the Israel-Hamas conflict, chaired this session.
(Inputs from Reuters)