Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 4th May. UN aid coordination office, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke on Friday warned that an Israeli military operation in Rafah “could lead to a slaughter” and cripple lifesaving humanitarian work throughout Gaza.
“Any ground operation would mean more suffering and death” for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in and around the Strip’s southernmost city Jens Laerke told journalists in Geneva.
WHO said that “Band-Aid” contingency plans have been made in case a full-scale military incursion does indeed happen, but they will not be enough to prevent Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe from getting worse.
Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory said “This contingency plan is Band-Aids. It will absolutely not prevent the expected substantial additional mortality and morbidity caused by a military operation”.
He was speaking via video link from Jerusalem, warned that a military operation would spark a new wave of displacement, more overcrowding, less access to essential food, water and sanitation “and definitely more outbreaks (of disease)”.
“The ailing health system will not be able to withstand the potential scale of devastation that the incursion will cause,” Dr Peeperkorn insisted.
He noted that the worsening security situation could severely impede the movement of food, water, and medical supplies into and across Gaza via the border points.
WHO said that only 12 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza and 22 of 88 primary health care facilities are “partially functional” today.
Dr Ahmed Dahir, WHO team leader in Gaza said these include Najjar Hospital in Rafah which offers dialysis treatment to hundreds of people.
“The health system is barely surviving if any (Israeli) operation will happen which means the population and patients will not be able to access these hospitals, what is going to happen to these patients; ultimately that would be a catastrophe.”
Dr Peeperkorn rejected any suggestion that the looming threat of acute malnutrition had receded in Gaza.
“We will see the effects for years to come,” he said.
He noted that 30 children have now reportedly died because of illnesses linked to malnutrition.
Deaths linked to the kind of food insecurity that Gazans have endured should have been completely preventable, Dr Peeperkorn insisted.
He pointed to the widespread destruction of poultry farming and fishing production, with vegetable and fruit growing which are “not there anymore we should never have any level of malnutrition in this place”.
WHO and its partners are setting up a new field hospital in Al-Mawasi in Rafah, as a part of contingency plan.
A large warehouse has been created in the central city of Deir Al Balah from where WHO has moved supplies to Khan Younis, the Middle Area and north Gaza.
The supplies have been prepositioned at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah and European Gaza Hospital near Khan Younis in the south.
Nasser Medical Complex is being refurbished to provide “a basic package of health services” now that cleaning and inspection of essential equipment have been completed.
WHO said that 9 out of 10 operating theatres there are operational and emergency medical teams are preparing to work there alongside national staff.
WHO and partners are establishing additional primary health centres and medical points in Khan Younis and the Middle Area, and pre-positioning medical supplies to enable these facilities to detect and treat communicable and non-communicable diseases and manage wounds.
The health agency is helping to increase 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 restoration of the Patients’ Friendly Hospital, focusing on paediatric services, and expansion of primary health care centres and medical points,” WHO reported.
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