Situation in Gaza
Jemini Pandya of the International Organization for Migration said that IOM’s part of the UN Flash Appeal for Gaza was of US$ 3.8 million for programmes that were aimed at supporting the rapid recovery of victims of the conflict. Their intervention focused very much on health and the rehabilitation of homes and businesses, particularly in North Gaza, which was the area worst affected. With so many thousands injured people, mainly women and children, funding would allow IOM, to carry out medical evacuation of people who were unable to get urgently needed adequate medical treatment in Gaza and to set up a mechanism for this kind of rapid assistance during crisis situations.
They would also provide return assistance to patients and accompanying family members who had already been evacuated abroad and to assist in the medical follow up as well as shelter and non-food support. In coordination with WHO and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, IOM intended also to help rehabilitate health care facilities and distribute medical equipment to ensure support for those with ongoing health needs. A special emphasis would be put on strengthening life saving emergency health service provisions, said Ms. Pandya. To address the psychosocial issues, IOM would carry out a rapid psychosocial needs assessment with partners while training modules would be provided for staff in 15 centers IOM was going to rehabilitate and reequip. They would also train the staff there to enhance their response skills and those of public health care workers in understanding the mental health consequences of conflicts.
With at least 25,000 homes in Gaza destroyed or badly damaged, the last part of the appeal was to support the immediate reconstruction process; this would be done by reactivating workshops that produced construction materials. The Organization would also assist local craftsmen to access finance to resume their livelihood.
