WHO chief calls for immediate humanitarian access to Gaza

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has made an urgent appeal to Israel to allow access to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and to establish a humanitarian corridor. In a statement released on X, Tedros highlighted the dire situation at the hospital, which has been under siege since March 18, leading to the deaths of 21 patients amidst ongoing hostilities nearby.

According to Tedros, 107 patients, including four children and 28 in critical condition, are housed in inadequate facilities within the hospital compound, suffering from a lack of basic health support, medical care, and supplies. The patients, some with infected wounds and severe dehydration, have been forced to move multiple times due to the siege, facing shortages of essential items such as diapers, urine bags, and water for cleaning wounds.

The WHO Director-General also raised concerns about the spread of contagious diseases due to unsanitary conditions and water scarcity, noting that currently, only one bottle of water is available for every 15 people at the hospital. Furthermore, he emphasized the severe food shortage at the facility, posing a significant threat to all patients, especially those with diabetes, whose health is rapidly declining. Tedros’s call underscores the critical need for immediate humanitarian intervention to provide lifesaving support to the patients at Al-Shifa Hospital.–News Desk