Urgent Call for Action to Address the Health Crisis in Gaza and the West Bank – Remarks by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

2 July 2024

A press briefing at the Palais des Nations

Dear colleagues,

Good morning/Good afternoon,

It’s a pleasure to be here with you today.

I arrived to the occupied Palestinian territory on Sunday, with the goal of gaining firsthand insights into the scale of the health crisis – most pronounced in Gaza and, escalating in the West Bank.

When I took office as Regional Director in February this year, the crisis in Gaza had already reached catastrophic levels. Today, the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly.

In my meetings with partners and senior UN officials on Sunday and yesterday, one message was clear:

WHO and humanitarian partners are committed to staying and delivering in Gaza. We have the capacity and resources needed to alleviate the catastrophic suffering that people in Gaza are facing but lack an enabling environment to expand operations. We need peace and we need sustained humanitarian access.

Against all odds, WHO teams are working tirelessly to save lives and resuscitate and restore Gaza’s health system.

To date, WHO has procured $30 million worth of medicines and medical supplies, 59% of which has already been delivered to the Gaza Strip. We have also provided and continue efforts to provide fuel to hospitals in dire need. International emergency medical teams coordinated by WHO have conducted around 900,000 medical consultations and 25,000 surgical operations in 2024. Medical evacuation of than 4913 patients outside Gaza have been supported by WHO and partners. Together with them, we have also worked to restore Nasser Medical Complex and Shifa Hospital and specialized services – such as dialysis, emergency care, surgery and orthopedics, burns care, laboratory services, and maternity and pediatrics care.

But these efforts – faced with obstructions, denials, delays, and great risk to the safety of our own teams – cannot replace a well-functioning health system that is so desperately needed in Gaza today.

Until a sustainable solution to this crisis is found, our work will continue to face challenges.

One key challenge is shortage of fuel, which is needed to keep all humanitarian operations – including health – running at the needed capacity. Since the closure of the Rafah border, which was the main entry point for fuel into Gaza, our health response operations have been compromised.

From 25-27 June, only 195,200 liters of fuel entered Gaza via the Karam Shalom border, to be shared by all sectors, including health, WASH, nutrition, and others. Since then, no fuel has entered Gaza.

To maintain full operations, health ALONE needs 80,000 litres of fuel a day. The water and sanitation sector ALONE needs 70,000 litres of fuel a day to operate critical services that remain accessible.

As a result, hospitals are once again short on fuel, risking disruption to critical services. Injured people are dying because ambulance services are facing delays due to shortages of fuel.

Fuel shortages are also affecting essential water and sanitation services such as water delivery, sewage pumping, and trash collection. From June 15 to 23, the water and sanitation cluster received less than 5% of the fuel needed each day to keep these services running. As a result, water service providers are forced to ration operations of municipal groundwater wells and the two working water desalination plants, reducing water production even more.

Lack of safe water and sanitation is significantly contributing to the spread of diseases. There are concerning increases in the number of adults and children suffering from water-borne diseases such as hepatitis A, diarrheal illness and skin conditions. This situation must be prevented from worsening, potentially leading to devastating consequences.

Closure of the Rafah border crossing is also preventing critically ill patients from receiving the specialized medical care they need outside Gaza. While a few patients were able to be evacuated recently via Karem Shalom, more than 10,000 patients remain stranded inside the Strip waiting to be evacuated. Medical evacuation corridors must be urgently established for the sustained, organized, safe, and timely passage of critically ill patients from Gaza via all possible routes. This includes Rafah and Karem Shalom to Egypt, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and from there to other countries when needed.

At Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem yesterday, the hospital director told me that the facility is ready to receive up to 100 patients from Gaza as soon as they can be medically evacuated. The hospital has the capacity to provide specialized services for even the most critical cases. Patients in Gaza should have timely access to the medical care they need, which is available less than an hour away.

At the hospital, I saw triplets, almost 10 months old, who were born prematurely before the war in Gaza started. Their mother had to travel to Gaza to take care of her other children since the infants needed extended care in incubators. Once the war started, she was unable to return to Al-Makaseed and has not seen her babies since.

I also saw a baby boy scheduled for surgery for hydrocephalus, while his parents and siblings remain in Gaza, unable to be with him. These are just some of the realities that restriction of access to health are having – unnecessarily — on Gazans.

Over the coming days, I hope to visit the West Bank, where the situation is becoming increasingly volatile. Attacks on health care have reached alarming levels, and access to health care is further impacting health service delivery.

The need for a sustainable solution in the occupied Palestinian territory is more urgent than ever. Despite the challenges, WHO and our partners are unwavering in their commitment to provide critical health services. However, a long-term resolution to this crisis requires concerted efforts from the international community to resume political negotiations and address the root causes of the conflict. The implications of this crisis extend beyond Gaza and the West Bank, impacting regional health security as hostilities also escalate in Lebanon and Syria. Only through collective action can we ensure that people receive the healthcare they desperately need and deserve.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to this cause.

الزَّمِيلَاتُ وَالزُّمَلَاءُ الْأَعِزَّاءُ،

طَابَتْ أَوْقَاتُكُمْ بِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ،

إِنَّهُ لَمِنْ دَوَاعِي سُرُورِي أَنْ أَكُونَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ،

لَقَدْ وَصَلْتُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الْفِلَسْطِينِيَّةِ الْمُحْتَلَّةِ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ، بِهَدَفِ الْوُقُوفِ بِنَفْسِي وَمُبَاشَرَةً عَلَى حَجْمِ الْأَزْمَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ – الَّتِي بَلَغَتْ ذُرْوَتَهَا فِي غَزَّةَ وَهِيَ آخِذَةٌ فِي التَّصَاعُدِ فِي الضَّفَّةِ الْغَرْبِيَّةِ.

عِنْدَمَا تَوَلَّيْتُ مَنْصِبَ الْمُدِيرِ الْإِقْلِيمِيِّ فِي شُبَاطَ/فِبْرَايِرَ مِنْ هَذَا الْعَامِ، كَانَتِ الْأَزْمَةُ فِي غَزَّةَ قَدْ وَصَلَتْ بِالْفِعْلِ إِلَى مُسْتَوَيَاتٍ كَارِثِيَّةٍ. وَلَكِنَّهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْسِفِ وَالْمُقْلِقِ بِشِدَّةٍ أَنَّ الْوَضْعَ مَا زَالَ يَتَدَهْوَرُ بِسُرْعَةٍ شَدِيدَةٍ حَتَّى الْيَوْمِ.

فِي اجْتِمَاعَاتِي مَعَ الشُّرَكَاءِ وَكِبَارِ مَسْؤُولِي الْأُمَمِ الْمُتَّحِدَةِ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ وَأَمْسِ، كَانَتْ ثَمَّةَ رِسَالَةٌ وَاضِحَةٌ:

إِنَّ مُنَظَّمَةَ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةَ وَشُرَكَاءَهَا فِي الْمَجَالِ الْإِنْسَانِيِّ مُلْتَزِمُونَ بِالْبَقَاءِ فِي غَزَّةَ وَتَقْدِيمِ الْخِدْمَاتِ. وَفِي حِينِ أَنَّ لَدَيْنَا الْقُدْرَةَ وَالْمَوَارِدَ اللَّازِمَةَ لِلتَّخْفِيفِ مِنَ الْمُعَانَاةِ الْكَارِثِيَّةِ الَّتِي يُوَاجِهُهَا سُكَّانُ غَزَّةَ، فَإِنَّنَا نَفْتَقِرُ إِلَى بِيئَةٍ مُوَاتِيَةٍ لِتَوْسِيعِ نِطَاقِ عَمَلِيَّاتِنَا؛ لِذَا فَإِنَّنَا بِحَاجَةٍ إِلَى السَّلَامِ وَإِلَى ضَمَانِ وُصُولٍ مُسْتَدَامٍ لِلْمُسَاعَدَاتِ الْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ.

وَعَلَى الرَّغْمِ مِنْ كُلِّ الصِّعَابِ، تَعْمَلُ فِرَقُ مُنَظَّمَةِ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةِ بِلَا كَلَلٍ لِإِنْقَاذِ الْأَرْوَاحِ وَإِنْعَاشِ النِّظَامِ الصِّحِّيِّ فِي غَزَّةَ وَاسْتِعَادَةِ قُدْرَتِهِ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ.

وَحَتَّى الْآنَ اشْتَرَتْ مُنَظَّمَةُ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةُ أَدْوِيَةً وَمُسْتَلْزَمَاتٍ طِبِّيَّةً بِقِيمَةِ ثَلَاثِينَ مِلْيُونَ دُولَارٍ أَمْرِيكِيٍّ، وَقَدْ تَمَّ تَسْلِيمُ تِسْعَةٍ وَخَمْسِينَ في الْمِئَةِ مِنْهَا إِلَى قِطَاعِ غَزَّةَ. وَعَلَاوَةً عَلَى ذَلِكَ، قَدَّمْنَا الْوَقُودَ لِلْمُسْتَشْفَيَاتِ الَّتِي هِيَ فِي أَمَسِّ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَيْهِ، وَنُوَاصِلُ الْجُهُودَ لِتَوْفِيرِهِ. وَفِي عَامِ أَلْفَيْنِ وَأَرْبَعَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ، قَدَّمَتِ الْفِرَقُ الطِّبِّيَّةُ الدَّوْلِيَّةُ لِلطَّوَارِئِ، بِتَنْسِيقٍ مِنْ مُنَظَّمَةِ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةِ، حَوَالَيْ تِسْعِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ اسْتِشَارَةٍ طِبِّيَّةٍ وَأَجْرَتْ خَمْسَةً وَعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ عَمَلِيَّةٍ جِرَاحِيَّةٍ. وَقَدْ دَعَّمَتْ مُنَظَّمَةُ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةُ وَشُرَكَاؤُهَا عَمَلِيَّاتِ الْإِجْلَاءِ الطِّبِّيِّ لِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ وَتِسْعِمِائَةٍ وَثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ مَرِيضًا إِلَى خَارِجِ غَزَّةَ. وَبِالتَّعَاوُنِ مع الشُّرَكَاءِ ، عَمِلْنَا أَيْضًا عَلَى إِعَادَةِ تَشْغِيلِ مُجَمَّعِ نَاصِرٍ الطِّبِّيِّ وَمُسْتَشْفَى الشِّفَاءِ وَاسْتِعَادَةِ تَقْدِيمِ الْخِدْمَاتِ الْمُتَخَصِّصَةِ – مِثْلِ غَسِيلِ الْكُلَى، وَالرِّعَايَةِ الطَّارِئَةِ، وَالْجِرَاحَةِ وَجِرَاحَةِ الْعِظَامِ، وَرِعَايَةِ الْحُرُوقِ، وَخِدْمَاتِ الْمُخْتَبَرَاتِ، وَرِعَايَةِ الْأُمُومَةِ وَالْأَطْفَالِ.

لَكِنَّ هَذِهِ الْجُهُودَ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ تَكُونَ بَدِيلًا لِنِظَامٍ صِحِّيٍّ فَعَّالٍ، وَهُوَ مَا تَشْتَدُّ الْحَاجَةُ إِلَيْهِ فِي غَزَّةَ الْيَوْمَ، خَاصَّةً فِي ظِلِّ مَا يُجَابِهُ تِلْكَ الْجُهُودَ مِنْ عَقَبَاتٍ وَحَالَاتِ الرَّفْضِ وَالتَّأْخِيرَاتِ وَالْمَخَاطِرِ الْكَبِيرَةِ الَّتِي تُهَدِّدُ سَلَامَةَ فِرَقِنَا.

وَإِلَى حِينِ التَّوَصُّلِ إِلَى حَلٍّ مُسْتَدَامٍ لِهَذِهِ الْأَزْمَةِ، سَيَظَلُّ عَمَلُنَا يُوَاجِهُ تَحَدِّيَاتٍ جَمَّةً.

وَأَحَدُ التَّحَدِّيَاتِ الرَّئِيسِيَّةِ هُوَ نَقْصُ الْوَقُودِ، ذلك العنصر الضَّرُورِيِّ لِاسْتِمْرَارِ جَمِيعِ الْعَمَلِيَّاتِ الْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ بِالْمُسْتَوَى الْمَنْشُودِ، وَخَاصَّةً الْعَمَلِيَّاتِ الصِّحِّيَّةَ. وَلَقَدْ تَعَرَّضَتْ عَمَلِيَّاتُنَا الصِّحِّيَّةُ لِلْخَطَرِ مُنْذُ إِغْلَاقِ مَعْبَرِ رَفَحَ، الَّذِي كَانَ الْمَنْفَذَ الرَّئِيسِيَّ لِدُخُولِ الْوَقُودِ إِلَى غَزَّةَ.

وَفِيمَا بَيْنَ 25 إِلَى 27 حَزِيرَانَ/يُونيُو، لَمْ يَدْخُلْ غَزَّةَ سِوَى مائة وخمسة وتسعين ألفًا ومائتي لِتْرٍ مِنَ الْوَقُودِ عَبْرَ مَعْبَرِ كَرَمِ أَبُو سَالِمٍ، لِيَجْرِيَ تَوْزِيعُهَا عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْقِطَاعَاتِ، بِمَا فِي ذَلِكَ الصِّحَّةُ، وَخِدْمَاتُ الْمِيَاهِ وَالصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ وَالنَّظَافَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ، وَالتَّغْذِيَةُ، وَغَيْرُهَا. وَمُنْذُ ذَلِكَ الْحِينِ، لَمْ يَدْخُلْ أَيُّ وَقُودٍ إِلَى غَزَّةَ.

وَبِالْمُقَابِلِ، يَحْتَاجُ قِطَاعُ الصِّحَّةِ وَحْدَهُ إِلَى ثمانين ألف لِتْرٍ مِنَ الْوَقُودِ يَوْمِيًّا لِلْإِبْقَاءِ عَلَى مُوَاصَلَةِ عَمَلِهِ بِكَامِلِ طَاقَتِهِ. وَيَحْتَاجُ قِطَاعُ الْمِيَاهِ وَالصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ وَحْدَهُ إِلَى سبعين ألف لِتْرٍ مِنَ الْوَقُودِ يَوْمِيًّا لِتَشْغِيلِ الْخِدْمَاتِ الْحَيَوِيَّةِ الْمُتَبَقِّيَةِ.

وَنَتِيجَةً لِذَلِكَ، تُعَانِي الْمُسْتَشْفَيَاتُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى مِنْ نَقْصِ الْوَقُودِ، الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي يُهَدِّدُ بِتَعْطِيلِ الْخِدْمَاتِ الْحَيَوِيَّةِ. بَلْ إِنَّ الْجَرْحَى وَالْمُصَابِينَ يَفْقِدُونَ أَرْوَاحَهُمْ لِأَنَّ خِدْمَاتِ الْإِسْعَافِ تُوَاجِهُ تَأْخِيرَاتٍ بِسَبَبِ نَقْصِ الْوَقُودِ.

وَيُؤَثِّرُ نَقْصُ الْوَقُودِ أَيْضًا عَلَى الخِدْمَاتِ الْأَسَاسِيَّةِ للْمِيَاهِ وَالصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ مِثْلَ تَوْصِيلِ الْمِيَاهِ، وَضَخِّ مِيَاهِ الصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ، وَجَمْعِ الْقُمَامَةِ. وَمِنْ 15 إِلَى 23 حَزِيرَانَ/ يُونيُو، تَلَقَّى قِطَاعُ الْمِيَاهِ وَالصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ أَقَلَّ مِنْ خَمْسَةٍ فِي الْمِائَةِ مِنَ الْوَقُودِ اللَّازِمِ يَوْمِيًّا لِتَشْغِيلِ هَذِهِ الْخِدْمَاتِ. وَنَتِيجَةً لِذَلِكَ، اُضْطُرَّ مُقَدِّمُو خِدْمَاتِ الْمِيَاهِ إِلَى فَرْضِ قُيُودٍ شَدِيدَةٍ عَلَى فَتْرَاتِ تَشْغِيلِ آبَارِ الْمِيَاهِ الْجَوْفِيَّةِ الْبَلَدِيَّةِ وَمَحَطَّتَيْ تَحْلِيَةِ الْمِيَاهِ الْعَامِلَتَيْنِ، الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي أَدَّى إِلَى خَفْضِ إِنْتَاجِ الْمِيَاهِ بِصُورَةٍ أَكْبَرَ.

إِنَّ نَقْصَ الْمِيَاهِ الْمَأْمُونَةِ وَعَدَمَ تَوَفُّرِ خِدْمَاتِ الصَّرْفِ الصِّحِّيِّ يُسْهِمانِ إِسْهَامًا كَبِيرًا فِي انْتِشَارِ الْأَمْرَاضِ. وَيَتَّضِحُ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ فِي تِلْكَ الزِّيَادَةِ الْمُقْلِقَةِ فِي عَدَدِ الْبَالِغِينَ وَالْأَطْفَالِ الَّذِينَ يُعَانُونَ مِنَ الْأَمْرَاضِ الْمَنْقُولَةِ بِالْمِيَاهِ مِثْلَ الْتِهَابِ الْكَبِدِ A، وَأَمْرَاضِ الْإِسْهَالِ، وَالْأَمْرَاضِ الْجِلْدِيَّةِ. وَلَا بُدَّ مِنَ الْحَيْلُولَةِ دُونَ تَفَاقُمِ ذَلِكَ الْوَضْعِ، لِمَا قَدْ يُؤَدِّي إِلَيْهِ مِنْ عَوَاقِبَ وَخِيمَةٍ.

إِنَّ إِغْلَاقَ مَعْبَرِ رَفَحَ الْحُدُودِيِّ يَحُولُ دُونَ حُصُولِ مَرْضَى الْحَالَاتِ الْحَرِجَةِ عَلَى الرِّعَايَةِ الطِّبِّيَّةِ الْمُتَخَصِّصَةِ الَّتِي يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهَا فِي خَارِجِ غَزَّةَ. وَفِي حِينِ جَرَى إِجْلَاءُ عَدَدٍ قَلِيلٍ مِنَ الْمَرْضَى مُؤَخَّرًا عَبْرَ مَعْبَرِ كَرَمِ أَبُو سَالِمٍ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَزَالُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَشَرَةِ آلَافِ مَرِيضٍ عَالِقِينَ دَاخِلَ الْقِطَاعِ بِانْتِظَارِ إِجْلَائِهِمْ. وَلِذَا، يَجِبُ إِنْشَاءُ مَمَرَّاتٍ آمِنَةٍ لِلْإِجْلَاءِ الطِّبِّيِّ عَلَى وَجْهِ السُّرْعَةِ، مِنْ أَجْلِ ضَمَانِ الْمُرُورِ الْمُسْتَدَامِ وَالْمُنَظَّمِ وَالْآمِنِ وَفِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُنَاسِبِ لِلْمَرْضَى ذَوِي الْحَالَاتِ الْحَرِجَةِ مِنْ غَزَّةَ، وَذَلِكَ عَبْرَ جَمِيعِ الطُّرُقِ الْمُمْكِنَةِ. وَيَشْمَلُ ذَلِكَ الْمُرُورَ عَبْرَ مَعْبَرَيْ رَفَحَ وَكَرَمِ أَبُو سَالِمٍ إِلَى مِصْرَ، وَكَذَلِكَ عَبْرَ الضَّفَّةِ الْغَرْبِيَّةِ وَالْقُدْسِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ إِلَى بُلْدَانٍ أُخْرَى مَتَى اقْتَضَتِ الْحَاجَةُ.

وَبِالْأَمْسِ، قَالَ لِي مُدِيرُ مُسْتَشْفَى الْمَقَاصِدِ فِي الْقُدْسِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ إِنَّ الْمَرْفِقَ جَاهِزٌ لِاسْتِقْبَالِ مَا يَصِلُ إِلَى مِائَةِ مَرِيضٍ مِنْ غَزَّةَ بِمُجَرَّدِ إِجْلَائِهِمْ طِبِّيًّا. وَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَنَّ الْمُسْتَشْفَى قَادِرٌ عَلَى تَقْدِيمِ الخِدْمَاتِ التَّخَصُّصِيَّةِ لِأَكْثَرِ الْحَالَاتِ حَرِجًا وَخُطُورَةً. وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَحْصُلَ الْمَرْضَى فِي غَزَّةَ عَلَى الرِّعَايَةِ الطِّبِّيَّةِ الَّتِي يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهَا فِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُنَاسِبِ، خَاصَّةً أَنَّهَا تَتَوَفَّرُ بِالْفِعْلِ عَلَى بُعْدِ أَقَلَّ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ.

فِي الْمُسْتَشْفَى، رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَةَ تَوَائِمَ، يَبْلُغُونَ مِنَ الْعُمْرِ قُرَابَةَ عَشَرَةِ أَشْهُرٍ، كَانُوا قَدْ وُلِدُوا خُدَّجًا، قَبْلَ انْدِلَاعِ الْحَرْبِ فِي غَزَّةَ. وَلَقَدِ اُضْطُرَّتْ وَالِدَتُهُمْ لِلسَّفَرِ إِلَى غَزَّةَ لِرِعَايَةِ أَطْفَالِهَا الْآخَرِينَ حَيْثُ احْتَاجَ الرُّضَّعُ الثَّلَاثَةُ إِلَى رِعَايَةٍ مُطَوَّلَةٍ فِي الْحَضَّانَاتِ. وَلَكِنَّ الْأُمَّ لَمْ تَتَمَكَّنْ مِنَ الْعَوْدَةِ إِلَى مُسْتَشْفَى الْمَقَاصِدِ مُنْذُ بَدْءِ الْحَرْبِ، وَلَمْ تَرَ أَطْفَالَهَا مُنْذُ ذَلِكَ الْحِينِ.

وَرَأَيْتُ أَيْضًا طِفْلًا مِنَ الْمُقَرَّرِ أَنْ يَخْضَعَ لِعَمَلِيَّةٍ جِرَاحِيَّةٍ لِاسْتِسْقَاءِ الدِّمَاغِ، فِي حِينِ أَنَّ وَالِدَيْهِ وَإِخْوَتَهُ لَا يَزَالُونَ فِي غَزَّةَ، غَيْرَ قَادِرِينَ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا إِلَى جِوَارِهِ. وَمَا هَذِهِ إِلَّا بَعْضُ الْأَمْثِلَةِ وَالْحَقَائِقِ لِمَا يُعَانِيهِ سُكَّانُ غَزَّةَ – دُونَ دَاعٍ – مِنْ تَقْيِيدٍ لِإِمْكَانِيَّةِ الْحُصُولِ عَلَى الرِّعَايَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ.

وَآمُلُ أَنْ أَزُورَ الضَّفَّةَ الْغَرْبِيَّةَ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ، حَيْثُ الْوَضْعُ آخِذٌ فِي الِاشْتِدَادِ وَالِاحْتِدَامِ. وَقَدْ وَصَلَتِ الْهَجَمَاتُ عَلَى مَرَافِقِ الرِّعَايَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ فِيهَا إِلَى مُسْتَوَيَاتٍ مُقْلِقَةٍ تُنْذِرُ بِالْخَطَرِ، بِالْإِضَافَةِ إِلَى أَنَّ صُعُوبَةَ الْحُصُولِ عَلَى الرِّعَايَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ تُؤَثِّرُ بِشِدَّةٍ عَلَى تَقْدِيمِ الْخَدَمَاتِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ.

إِنَّ الْحَاجَةَ إِلَى حَلٍّ مُسْتَدَامٍ فِي الْأَرَاضِي الْفِلَسْطِينِيَّةِ الْمُحْتَلَّةِ صَارَتْ أَكْثَرَ إِلْحَاحًا مِنْ أَيِّ وَقْتٍ مَضَى. وَعَلَى الرَّغْمِ مِنَ التَّحَدِّيَاتِ، فَإِنَّ مُنَظَّمَةَ الصِّحَّةِ الْعَالَمِيَّةَ وَشُرَكَاءَهَا لَدَيْهِمِ الْتِزَامٌ ثَابِتٌ لَا يَتَزَعْزَعُ بِتَقْدِيمِ الْخِدْمَاتِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ الْحَيَوِيَّةِ. وَلَكِنَّ التَّوَصُّلَ إِلَى حَلٍّ طَوِيلِ الْأَجَلِ لِهَذِهِ الْأَزْمَةِ يَتَطَلَّبُ جُهُودًا مُتَضَافِرَةً مِنَ الْمُجْتَمَعِ الدَّوْلِيِّ لِاسْتِئْنَافِ الْمُفَاوَضَاتِ السِّيَاسِيَّةِ وَمُعَالَجَةِ الْأَسْبَابِ الْجَذْرِيَّةِ لِلصِّرَاعِ. وَيَجِبُ الِانْتِبَاهُ إِلَى أَنَّ تَدَاعِيَاتِ هَذِهِ الْأَزْمَةِ تَمْتَدُّ إِلَى مَا هُوَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ غَزَّةَ وَالضَّفَّةِ الْغَرْبِيَّةِ، إِذْ إِنَّهَا تُؤَثِّرُ عَلَى الْأَمْنِ الصِّحِّيِّ الْإِقْلِيمِيِّ فِي ظِلِّ تَصَاعُدِ الْأَعْمَالِ الْعَدَائِيَّةِ أَيْضًا فِي لُبْنَانَ وَسُورِيَا. وَسَيَظَلُّ الْعَمَلُ الْجَمَاعِيُّ هُوَ السَّبِيلُ الْوَحِيدُ لِضَمَانِ حُصُولِ النَّاسِ عَلَى الرِّعَايَةِ الصِّحِّيَّةِ الَّتِي يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهَا وَيَسْتَحِقُّونَهَا.

وَخِتَامًا، أُقَدِّمُ إِلَيْكُمْ جَزِيلَ الشُّكْرِ عَلَى دَعْمِكُمُ الْمُتَوَاصِلِ وَتَفَانِيكُمْ فِي الْعَمَلِ مِنْ أَجْلِ هَذِهِ الْقَضِيَّةِ.