WHO director-general calls on Israel to lift blockade on medical supplies into Gaza
Date
5/22/2024 5:02:55 AM
(MENAFN) On Tuesday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Head of the World Health Organization (WHO), urged Israel to lift its blockade on medical supplies into Gaza, citing the plight of approximately 700 seriously ill patients trapped in a conflict zone.
"Crossings from Egypt into Gaza have remained closed for two weeks, cutting off the primary pipeline for emergency health supplies into Gaza," the WHO director-general stated at a news briefing in Geneva.
Tedros characterized the situation in Gaza as "beyond catastrophic," highlighting the intense hostilities near Gaza's hospitals that have severely compromised their ability to deliver medical care. He also noted the increased difficulty for patients to access essential medical services due to the ongoing conflict.
With only two operational hospitals left in northern Gaza, Tedros stressed the critical need to safeguard their capacity to provide essential health services. He emphasized that the World Health Organization (WHO) cannot sustain its life-saving assistance to hospitals and the population in Gaza without increased aid.
While the WHO and its partners have managed to deliver limited amounts of fuel to hospitals in recent days, Tedros expressed concern that this falls significantly short of the substantial quantity of fuel required daily to support health operations effectively.
MENAFN22052024000045015839ID1108243581
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.