WHO / GAZA HEALTH SITUATION

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), since October 2023, there have been at least 516 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, resulting in 765 deaths. Over six percent of the population has either been killed or injured, while at least 10,000 people remain trapped under the rubble. WHO
Description

STORY: WHO / GAZA HEALTH SITUATION
TRT: 13:21
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: PLEASE CHECK SHOTLIST FOR DETAILS

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Shotlist

06 DECEMBER 2023, Nasser Medical Complex, Khan Younis, Gaza

1. Various shots, the medical complex with injured patients arriving by vehicle amongst large crowds and entering the hospital.

01 JANUARY 2024, UNRWA SHELTER AT AL TAIF SCHOOL, RAFAH, GAZA

2. Various shots, the UNRWA shelter
3. Various shots, WHO staff in conversation with displaced people at the shelter
4. Various shots, people, tents and general living conditions.

19 FEBRUARY 2024, NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, KHAN YOUNIS

5. Various shots, towards the Emergency Department and health workers greeting each other
6. Various shots, WHO and OCHA mission members talking to health workers, and planning the transfer of patients. The hospital director is in green scrubs, with white hair and beard (Dr Atef Al Hoot), and speaks with WHO’s Dr Gargavanis (see below).
UPSOUND: explosion off camera, camera then pans to patient in bed
(Arabic) “There is Nagham, she is fine.”
“Nagham, Dr Atef is the hospital director, don't worry!”
“Don’t worry dear, don’t worry!”
7. Various shots, WHO/OCHA mission talking to health workers and planning the transfer of patients
8. UPSOUND (English) “In darkness. Totally in darkness. Total darkness.”
“My words are not enough to express the respect that I'm feeling. Not only for you, but for these. For these, for these people that are work here”
9. Various shots, a patient being transferred from a bed to a stretcher
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Athanasios Gargavanis, WHO Trauma surgeon & Emergency officer, WHO:
“This is the former emergency department of National Medical Complex. And it's a death zone.”

19 FEBRUARY 2024, NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, KHAN YOUNIS

11. Various shots, patients being loaded on to PRCS ambulances

19 FEBRUARY 2024, INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS (IMC) FIELD HOSPITAL, RAFAH, GAZA

12. Various shots, patients arriving in PRCS ambulances at the IMC Field hospital and being unloaded for assessment and treatment by IMC health workers

24 FEBRUARY 2024, KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA

13, Various shots, showing the mass destruction of infrastructure, roads and buildings.

24 FEBRUARY 2024, AL-AMAL HOSPITAL, KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza

14. Various shots, showing the hospital grounds, with heavily damaged buildings, and ambulances
15. Various shots, showing the heavy damage to the hospital building, rooms and facilities.

18 MARCH 2024, KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL, NORTH GAZA

16. Various shots, WHO mission team talking to patients, parents
17. Various shots, young patient Fadi on a hospital bed.

23 MARCH 2024, KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL, NORTH GAZA
18. Various shots, the mission team inside the hospital, preparing the two young patients for transport
19. Various shots, the patients being loaded on to the ambulance with a crowd watching on.

05 APRIL 2024, AL-SHIFA MEDICAL COMPLEX, NORTH GAZA

20. Wide shot, showing the absolute devastation at Al-Shifa Medical Complex
21. Various shots, the Emergency Department showing the complete devastation and destruction.

09 JUNE 2024, KAMAL ADWAN HOSPITAL, NORTH GAZA

22. Various shots, WHO mission convoy arriving at the hospital and unloading medical supplies from a lorry/truck
23. Various shots, WHO, OCHA and Cadus EMT mission team in discussion with the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital
24. Various shots, fuel truck arriving and unloading fuel.

05 SEPTEMBER 2024, JAPANESE CLINIC, UNRWA PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRE, KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA

25. Various shots, at the clinic showing children receiving their vaccination as more families queue up to receive theirs.
26. Close up, polio vaccine being retrieved from a cool box
27. Close up, polio vaccine tally sheet being filled in.
28. Close up, Arabic vaccine information leaflet

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Storyline

The hostilities in Gaza continue to rage. Over six percent of the population has either been killed or injured, while at least 10,000 people remain trapped under the rubble.

The health system has suffered immensely from repeated attacks, and an ongoing shortage of supplies, medicines, fuel, and staff. Since October 2023, there have been at least 516 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, resulting in 765 deaths. According to the Ministry of Health, around 1,000 health workers have been killed.

Only half of Gaza's hospitals are partially operational, while just 43 percent of primary healthcare centers are functional.

WHO has provided the bulk of the fuel and medical supplies to hospitals and emergency medical team facilities in Gaza. WHO supports the movement of patients within and out of Gaza to receive specialised care. WHO moves emergency medical teams into and out of location. WHO is supporting to restore hospitals and the health system.

Factsheet As of 3 October 2024

Key messages
1. Health and humanitarian workers, including WHO and partner staff, have done immensely courageous work under extremely difficult, often dangerous conditions, and often with the bare minimum of medical supplies, lack of specialized carers, lack of fuel, and more. The safety and security of all health and humanitarian workers, everywhere, is non-negotiable.
2. WHO and health partners continue working to keep the health system going, support people’s health in the region and ultimately save more lives.
3. We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release and safe return of all approximately 101 remaining hostages being held in Gaza.
4. The unspeakable suffering of civilians must end. Peace is the best medicine. Peace must prevail across Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and the wider region. The time for a ceasefire is now.

MAIN FIGURES as of 4 October

Israel
• Note: Check figures with Israeli authorities
• Fatalities and casualties: 1546 deaths, around 7698 injuries
• Hostages: 240 taken initially, 101 remaining
• Displaced: Over 140 000 Israelis displaced
• Attacks on health: 68 attacks with 24 deaths and 34 injuries

occupied Palestinian territory
• Note: Check figures with oPt authorities
• Fatalities and casualties:
o In Gaza: at least 41 700 deaths, 96 800 injuries
o Over 10 000 people missing or under the rubble
o At least 304 aid workers killed, majority from UNRWA (OCHA, 25 of Sept)
o In West Bank: 719 deaths, 6158 injuries
• Displaced:
o In Gaza: 1.9 million people internally displaced. That’s nine out of 10 people displaced in Gaza, and many that have been displaced up to 10 times.
o 86% of Gaza under evacuation orders.
o In West Bank: 6078 displaced
• Attacks on health: total of 1140 attacks on health
o In Gaza: 516 attacks resulting in 765 fatalities and 990 injuries
o In West Bank: 624 attacks with 25 deaths and 111 injuries

Lebanon
• Note: Check figures with Lebanese authorities
• Fatalities and casualties: 1974 deaths, 9384 injured
• Displaced: over 346 000 (IOM, as of 29 Sept)
• Attacks on health: 35 attacks with 73 deaths and 74 injuries

HEALTH FUNCTIONALITY
• 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza partially functioning
• No functioning hospitals in Rafah jeopardizing access to health for around 20 000 Gazans residing in the governorate.
• 70% of medications and 83% of health supplies exhausted from stockpiles, according to MoH
• Only 50% of pre-conflict hospital beds are available, or 1800 hospital beds available in Gaza to cover the needs of more than two million people, compared with 3500 beds before the war, according to Health Cluster.
• Only 56 out of 131 primary health care facilities functioning
• 11 field hospitals in Gaza, of which five are only partially functioning
• 15 600 patients requiring medical evacuation, with only 5138 being evacuated so far. Since 7 May, only 229 patients have been evacuated.
• In the West Bank, 44% of medical permit applications to access East Jerusalem and Israeli health facilities denied or pending.

HEALTH NEEDS in Gaza

Health conditions
• The lack of food, water and medicines has increased the spread of diseases and exacerbated the needs of people living with health conditions. People in Gaza are exhausted. They need food. They need medical supplies.
• 155 000 pregnant and breastfeeding women lack access to essential services including prenatal and postnatal care, family planning and management of sexual transmitted infections (Source: UN Women)
• An estimated 24 090 injured people with life-saving injuries needing long-term rehabilitation
• 180 women giving birth every day in unsafe conditions
• 45 000 patients with cardiovascular disease
• 1500 people with kidney disease need lifesaving treatment to stay alive
• 485 000 people who were already affected by mental health disorders before the conflict now experiencing disruptions in their treatment
• 2000 cancer patients without access to oncology services
• 650 000 people with raised blood pressure
• 71 000 people with diabetes

Infectious Disease
• Since 7 October 2023, almost one million of cases of acute respiratory infections have been recorded, as well as increasing cases of diarrhoea, scabies and lice, other skin diseases such as skin rashes, impetigo, cases of chickenpox and acute jaundice syndrome (suspected Hepatitis A). Also suspected meningitis and mumps cases.

Malnutrition
• As per the IPC analysis in June 2024, 2.15 million or 96% of the people of Gaza face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC 3 and above) and 495 000 people or 22% of the population are still experiencing an extreme lack of food (IPC 5).
• Since mid-January, 312 907 children screened for malnutrition. Over 21 600 have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 16 800 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and close to 4800 with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
• 38 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (as of 16 September 2024).
• 4 Stabilization Centres are functional. To date, 213 patients admitted for SAM at the SCs.

WHO’s RESPONSE

In Gaza
• WHO provides 60% of all the medical supplies in Gaza. We provide 100% of the fuel to hospitals and EMT facilities.
• We help move patients within and out of Gaza for specialised care.
• We help hospitals and primary health facilities to begin working again after devastating blows and restore their health services.
• 264 WHO trucks crossed into Gaza since the start of the hostilities with close to 1100 metric tons of medical supplies, such as with medicines, trauma supplies, assistive devices, blood supplies, supplies for the treatment of malnutrition, cold chain, medical equipment, etc., enabling 16 400 emergency and surgery interventions, and reaching 324 000 people with basic health care needs and 1.5 million people suffering from non-communicable diseases.
• 95 missions facilitated by WHO and partners, out of the 214 initiated. The remaining ones were either denied, cancelled or impeded.
• 15 600 patients requiring medical evacuation, with only 5138 being evacuated so far. Since 7 May, only 229 patients have been evacuated.
• 37 EMTs deployed across the Gaza Strip provided 1.5 million consultations.
• 560 000 children vaccinated against polio during the first the three phases from 1-12 September 2024 in the Gaza Strip. Second round to be taking place around mid-October 2024.

In Israel
• The past year, in particular the escalation over the past few weeks, has been traumatizing for the people of Israel. There is an urgent need to rapidly scale up mental health and psychosocial support to help people, especially children, cope with things they have seen and heard (e.g. rocket fire, violence, death, displacement).
• Israel’s health system is handling the pressure in the face of rocket attacks. All health facilities near Israel’s borders with Lebanon and Gaza are empty, with patients being treated in makeshift basements underground.

• From the very outset, WHO – at Headquarters, the European Regional Office and Israel Country Offices – has been in close contact with the families of hostages taken from Israel, meeting with members and representatives, and repeatedly advocating for the release and protection of the hostages.
• Bearing witness and support to the hostage families is an integral part of WHO’s work in Israel, as has support on mental health needs vis-à-vis the civilian population impacted by the Hamas attacks, including health workers and responders.
• WHO’'s representative in Israel has met with hostage families, and visited the health centers that are no longer able to function.
• We continue to call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire by all parties and the unconditional release of all hostages. Hostages and detainees must be treated with dignity and provided all the assistance they need.
• WHO’S response/support in Israel:
o WHO is supporting an Israeli NGO to develop an inter-faith initiative working with both Jewish and Muslim religious leaders to connect people with critical mental health support and reduce stigma.
o WHO is supporting a mental health project for first responders and frontline health workers, many of whom were severely traumatized by the events of October 7. So far, it has reached nearly 1,000 people.
o WHO has participated in Israeli government briefings and conducted visits to hospitals on the frontlines, including hospitals treating returned hostages.

In Lebanon
• Over 5000 health workers trained by WHO on mass casualty events prior to 17 September, covering more than two-thirds of the country’s hospitals.
• WHO has distributed trauma and emergency surgery supplies, to supplement supplies that we had pre-positioned in 23 hospitals, as well as supplies for the treatment of non-communicable diseases and mental health medicines.
• WHO continues to support the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) through providing staffing, financial and technical support. WHO is working with PHEOC to conduct a mapping of daily hospital occupancy to better coordinate referrals, as well as detailed assessment of the situation of admitted patients.

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