The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Gaza’s health system ‘on its knees’ with almost 70 per cent of hospitals not functioning - WHO
The UN health agency (WHO) warned on Friday that Gaza’s health system is “on its knees”. Due to intense hostilities and limited connectivity, WHO has not received updated data for the past four days on injuries and deaths from the enclave’s ministry of health.
“We know that the health system is on its knees and that currently 65 per cent - that is 47 out of 72 primary care facilities - are not functioning and the ones which are functioning are partly functioning,” reported Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory from Jerusalem, briefing journalists at the United Nations in Geneva. “More than 70 per cent of the hospitals are currently nonfunctioning - 25 out of the 36.”
This situation is clearly insufficient to meet the “endless” needs arising from more than five weeks of Israeli bombardment in response to the 7 October Hamas terror attacks. Active ground operations in Gaza city and near the hospitals, along with the lack of fuel, have halted the movement of rescue teams and ambulances in many areas, UN aid coordination office OCHA reported.
“Before the conflict we talked about 3,500 hospital beds operational in Gaza. And today we talked about an estimated 1,400. The minimum occupancy raised over 150 (per cent). Based on our plans, the needs at the moment will be 5,000 beds,” stressed Dr. Peeperkorn.
The WHO is extremely concerned about the spread of diseases as the rainy season and winter arrive. Overcrowded shelters and the overall lack of water and sanitation across Gaza could increase the risk of transmission.
Since mid-October the Ministry of Health, UNRWA and WHO have recorded “more than 70,000, 72,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, 44,000 cases of diarrhea, 808 cases of chickenpox, 15,000 skin rashes, the scabies, lice, and we also got patients now of hepatitis A,” according to Dr. Peeperkorn.
The WHO reiterated its call for daily sustained, orderly, unimpeded and safe medical evacuations of critically injured and sick patients into Egypt.
“We need a mechanism for medical evacuation. Over the coming months, we will work out that the patients in needs, and that it's not just multiple traumas, it's all kinds of patients which are critical need for evacuation, also think cancer patients which cannot get their treatments,” said Dr. Peeperkorn. “So, there's many other patients which should be prioritized for every medical evacuation into Egypt.”
The WHO also reported on Friday that a mechanism for the entry of fuel into the war-torn Palestinian enclave has reportedly been agreed upon so that urgently needed humanitarian operations can be restored.
“There is a mechanism for the entry of fuel, which would be, I think, the best news of today. And of course, we really hope and plea that this mechanism is being going to be sustained to make sure that humanitarian operation can function, that UNWRA can do its job keeping the operation going.”
WHO remains extremely worried for the safety of patients, health workers and IDPs sheltering not only at Al-Shifa but all other hospitals that are besieged and facing intense hostilities. The UN health agency reminded again that under international humanitarian law health facilities, health workers, ambulances, patients must be safeguarded and protected against all acts of war. International humanitarian law must be respected.
-ends-
STORY Update on Health in Gaza - WHO
TRT: 2:32”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 17 November 2023 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior medium shot: UN building with UN flag, UN Geneva.
- Wide shot, press briefing room with journalists and screens, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory: “We know that the health system is on its knees and that currently 65 per cent - that is 47 out of 72 primary care facilities - are not functioning and the ones which are functioning are partly functioning, so to say more than 70 per cent, almost 70 per cent of the hospitals are currently nonfunctioning - 25 out of the 36.”
- Cutaway: Medium shot, press briefing room with a spokespersons and a journalists, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory: “We've recorded already more than 70,000, 72,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, 44,000 cases of diarrhea, 808 cases of chickenpox, 15,000 skin rashes, the scabies, lice, and we also got patients now of hepatitis A.”
- Cutaway: Medium shot, press briefing room with a technician and a journalist, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory: “Before the conflict we talked about 3,500 hospital beds operational in Gaza. And today we talked about an estimated 1,400. The minimum occupancy raised over 150 (per cent). Based on our plans, the needs at the moment will be 5,000 beds.”
- Cutaway: Medium shot, press briefing room with a spokesperson and a journalist, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory: “We need a mechanism for medical evacuation. Over the coming months, we will work out that the patients in needs, and that it's not just multiple traumas, it's all kinds of patients which are critical need for evacuation, also think cancer patients which cannot get their treatments. So there's many other patients which should be prioritized for every medical evacuation into Egypt.”
- Cutaway: Wide shot, press briefing room with spokesperson, journalists and screens, UN Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) – Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory: “There is a mechanism for the entry of fuel, which would be, I think, the best news of today. And of course, we really hope and plea that this mechanism is being going to be sustained and that it's going to be sustained to make sure that humanitarian operation can function that UNWRA can do its job keeping the operation going.”
- Cutaway: Wide shot, press briefing room with journalists and screens, UN Geneva
- Cutaway: close up, journalist listening, UN Geneva
- Cutaway: close up, journalist listening, UN Geneva
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNFPA
Ukraine's birthrate plummets amid war, prompting a new demographic strategy.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNICEF , OCHA
UN peacekeepers determined to stay in south Lebanon, while humanitarians report more civilian suffering in Gaza and West Bank
UN peacekeepers are keeping their positions in South Lebanon despite heavy shelling and targeted attacks; their commitment to bringing back stability to the region is unwavering, the UN said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Volker Türk calls on Tunisia to uphold rule of law and democratic freedoms, following pre-electoral context marred by human rights concerns
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today called on the Tunisian authorities to protect the country’s democratic processes and uphold fundamental freedoms after a presidential campaign marred by a crackdown on the opposition, independent activists and journalists.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , UNICEF , OHCHR
With no let-up to the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict, the UN human rights office on Tuesday called for an independent probe into an Israeli airstrike that hit an apartment block in northern Lebanon a day earlier that left a reported 22 dead.
1
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO
Amid reports of intensifying Israeli bombing in Lebanon and Gaza overnight and continuing Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, called on Friday for an end to the “killing, destruction [and] bellicose posturing” by those in power.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk updates the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the situation in Haiti
1
1
1
Edited News | HRC
Volker Türk, Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l'Homme au sujet de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC)
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OHCHR
UN humanitarians in Lebanon on Tuesday described the massive challenge of trying to reach some 1.2 million people who have fled heavy Israeli bombardment and evacuation orders, driven by the fear that what happened in Gaza may befall them, too.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNHCR
Main road connecting Lebanon to Syria closed to vehicles after Israeli strike, says UN refugee agency
The major road connecting Lebanon to Syria was hit by Israeli airstrikes overnight near the key Masnaa border crossing where tens of thousands have been fleeing Lebanon into Syria in the past two weeks, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday published its latest report on Ukraine. It covers key human rights developments from 1 June to 31 August 2024, during which civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure increased significantly.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR
Amid the start of a reported Israeli ground offensive against the Hezbollah armed group in southern Lebanon and fears of more civilian suffering, the UN launched an urgent humanitarian appeal on Tuesday to support those most in need in the country.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press briefingUN Human Rights spokeperson Liz Throssell made the following comments on hostilities in the Middle East.