“Any activity on the ground means that more suffering and death” for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the Strip’s southernmost city, OCHA Spokesperson Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva.
Reflecting those concerns, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said “Band-Aid” contingency plans were in place in case a full-scale military attack actually occurred, but they would not be enough to prevent the humanitarian disaster in Gaza from worsening. worse.
Band-Aid Plan
“This backup plan is Band-Aids. “It absolutely would not prevent the significant additional mortality and morbidity expected to result from a military operation,” said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. .
Speaking via video link from Jerusalem, the WHO doctor warned that a military operation would cause a new wave of displacement, more overcrowding, less access to food, water and sanitation. essential antibiotics “and there will certainly be more disease outbreaks.”
“The ailing health system will not be able to withstand the potential level of devastation that the intrusion would cause,” Dr. Peeperkorn emphasized.
The worsening security situation could also seriously hinder the movement of food, water and medical supplies into and through Gaza through border points, WHO officials noted.
After nearly seven months of intense Israeli bombing following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on southern Israel on October 7, only 12 of 36 hospitals in Gaza and 22 of 88 health care facilities remain open. The initial health of the area is “partially functional” so far. United Nations health agency.
Dialysis is threatened
“These include Najjar Hospital in Rafah, which provides dialysis treatment to hundreds of people,” explains Dr. Ahmed Dahir, head of the WHO team in Gaza.
“The health system is virtually non-existent…if any (Israeli) activity happens, it means people and patients will not be able to access these hospitals, what will happen with these patients; In the end it would be a disaster.”
Although there has been a “slight improvement” in the availability and variety of food in Gaza in recent weeks, Dr. Peeperkorn dismissed any suggestion that there is a potential threat to the situation. Acute malnutrition among the most vulnerable people in this land has been reduced.
“We will see the impacts for many years to come,” the WHO official continued, noting that 30 children have now died from diseases related to malnutrition.
Dr. Peeperkorn emphasized that the food insecurity-related deaths suffered by Gazans could have been completely prevented, as he pointed to the widespread devastation caused by livestock farming. poultry and fishing, along with fruit and vegetable growing “are no more… there should never have been any degree of malnutrition in this place”.
As part of the United Nations’ preparedness effort, WHO and partners are establishing a new field hospital at Al Mawasi in Rafah.
Supply line
A large warehouse was also established in downtown Deir Al Balah, where WHO transferred supplies to Khan Younis, the Central Region and northern Gaza.
Additional supplies were also placed at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah and the European Gaza Hospital near Khan Younis in the south.
Also in Khan Younis, the Nasser Medical Complex is being refurbished to provide a “basic package of medical services”, now that cleaning and inspection of essential equipment has been completed.
WHO said nine out of 10 operating theaters have emergency medical and operational teams preparing to work there alongside national staff.
Preposition key
WHO and partners are also establishing additional primary health centers and health posts Khan Younis and Central regionas well as pre-positioning medical supplies to enable these facilities to detect and treat infectious and non-communicable diseases and wound management.
In the northThe UN health agency is helping to strengthen services at Al-Ahli, Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda hospitals with emergency medical teams and by pre-positioning supplies.
“Plans are also being developed to support the recovery of Patient-Friendly Hospitals, with a focus on pediatric services and the expansion of primary health care centers and clinics,” WHO said. international”.
