“The thousands of injuries sustained by civilians across Gaza combined with a burgeoning public health crisis is a ‘recipe for epidemics’, said Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergency response Director on November 20.
According to the UN News, Ryan was briefing journalists at UN Headquarters and added that “so many children” remain in danger, as fighting between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces continues, from hostages to those living under bombardment with no safe place to shelter.
Up to 1,500 children in Gaza remain missing – many likely under rubble – he said, as the health system faces “extreme pressure”.
Following the evacuation of many patients at the largest hospital, Al Shifa over the weekend, Ryan mentioned, health staff remaining at Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza may also need to be evacuated in the next few days amid continued fighting there.
The WHO regional office tweeted a statement saying the agency was appalled at reports of at least a dozen people being killed during attacks on the Indonesian Hospital, which included patients and companions residing there. The ultimatum from Israeli forces to keep moving is creating a concentration of people in UNRWA centres and schools, that “fuels epidemic risks” he added, and combined with cold rain recently, will lead to a spike in child pneumonia, Dr. Ryan warned.
Before long the public health risks will be as grave as those faced with injuries that are going untreated with water, food and fuel so scarce.
“All of this adds up to a ‘recipe for epidemics’ while calorific intake is now below the critical level needed for the immune system to stay healthy, Dr. Ryan added.
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Rob Holden, a WHO Senior Emergency Officer, briefing from Rafah in southern Gaza, gave further details on the dramatic evacuation of 31 premature babies to relative safety from the war-torn Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City. He said the two-pronged weekend operation had been a success with babies and remaining family members evacuated from the area, working with the Palestinian Red Crescent.
He revealed that 28 of them had been sent across the border into the care of the Egyptian Red Crescent and on for treatment Monday, relaying the news that three of the babies had been reunited with their immediate families in southern Gaza. For the 220 patients who remain at Al Shifa, Holden said a number were “in a life threatening condition”, needing dialysis, and with one man remaining in intensive care. He added that 25 patients had severe spinal injuries and WHO would work with the Palestinian Red Crescent to move them south.
