Health Ciris in Gaza: WHO Addresses Health Emergencies and Regional Escalations – Statement

Statement by WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy

at a Virtual presser on health emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

07 August 2024

Thank you for being here.

The past two weeks have once again highlighted the scale and complexities of emergencies across our Region. In that short period of time, there have been variant poliovirus strains detected in Gaza, military strikes and assassinations in several countries that further threaten regional security, a declaration of famine conditions in North Darfur in Sudan, and heatwaves and deadly floods that again reflect the growing impact of climate change.

First, let me provide an update on the occupied Palestinian territory.

In the last week of July alone, WHO supported the medical evacuation of nearly over 100 Gazan patients with a range of serious medical conditions, along with their companions, to Belgium, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Moving 85 patients to the UAE last week was the largest medical evacuation since October 2023. In an extremely complex operation, patients and caregivers from across Gaza were transported to the Karem Shalom crossing and on to an Israeli airport before flying to the UAE.

The arduous nature of this journey is in large part due to the Rafah crossing being closed since May 6. Transportation across Rafah and into Egypt would have provided a more direct and far less difficult passage. For months now, we have advocated for the opening of all possible routes, including the Karem Shalom and Rafah crossings to Egypt and Jordan and, from there, to other countries.

We also continue to call for the resumption of medical referrals and evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Over 10 000 people in need of medical evacuation remain in Gaza.

Of great concern, a variant of poliovirus type 2 has been detected in environmental samples inside Gaza. While no clinical cases of polio have yet been detected, the risk to children is high and we must move rapidly to prevent and contain the virus’s spread. To this end, WHO is working with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF on a range of measures, including polio vaccination campaigns.

Let me be clear – we need a ceasefire, even a temporary ceasefire – to successfully undertake these campaigns. Otherwise, we risk the virus spreading further, including across borders.

Secondly, WHO is gravely concerned regarding the ongoing escalation of events across the Region.

In the past couple of weeks deadly strikes against civilians, political entities, and infrastructure are rapidly raising the risks of a wider war.

The calls for vengeance and retribution that have followed these tragic events will only lead to more violence, death, destruction and suffering for the most vulnerable.

Sadly, we must prepare concretely for a widening of the conflict and WHO is playing our part. In Lebanon, we are deploying emergency experts and vital supplies to support the Ministry of Health. We have provided equipment, technical assistance, and staffing for the Ministry’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the emergency activities and to ensure surveillance systems are intact and hospitals have adequate supplies. WHO has also bolstered the capacity of 98 hospitals for mass casualty management and the prepositioning of twenty trauma kits and other lifesaving supplies.

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Dear colleagues,

In closing, I wish to return to escalating political tensions in the Region.

Civilian populations already ravaged by violence, hunger and disease do not deserve to be further threatened.

Health systems must be rebuilt, not devastated, and further developed so that they can withstand further shocks that could potentially affect us all, like the next pandemic.

Efforts to improve access to health care are already impeded by limited health capacities and resources, sanctions and wrecked infrastructure. They must not be further undermined.

Our collective focus must be on moving our regional health agenda forward, without further setbacks.

Each member state has a stake in ensuring the human and health security of our Region. All diplomatic efforts must be made to prevent this worrying situation from spiraling further.

As WHO works with partners to save every life we can, we need all warring parties to commit to full and unconditional respect of the sanctity of health care.

We need unconditional and unrestricted access to all people in need.

Humanitarian work must be spared from politicization and attacks.

We need sustained funding.

And ultimately — as we continue to stress again and again and again — we need peace.

Thank you.