UN NEWS
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), informed Member States that it is becoming harder to evaluate the functioning of the health system in Gaza.
“What is clear is that the health needs of the people of Gaza are growing all the time, and the health system is near collapse,” he said.
Only 10 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are still functioning, with just 1,400 hospital beds, and many health workers have been displaced, forced to flee with their families.
“Here’s what that means: more and more casualties, and fewer and fewer beds, health workers, medicines and supplies,” said Mr. Tedros, adding that there are rising cases of respiratory and skin infections, and acute watery diarrhoea due to lack of sanitation.
The head of WHO called for the immediate implementation of the Security Council resolution adopted on Wednesday, and for the parties to abide by it.
“We call for attacks on healthcare to stop, and for patients, health facilities, health infrastructure and health workers – as well as aid workers – to be protected,” he stressed.
“And we continue to call for an end to this conflict, to prevent further deaths of civilians and further damage to Gaza’s hospitals and health facilities,” he said