WHO Warns of Deteriorating Health Situation in Gaza and Shortage of Medical Supplies
The World Health Organization warned of the deteriorating health situation in Gaza due to a shortage of medicines and a 74-day delay in the arrival of medical shipments.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
- 74 days: Average wait for approval to allow medical aid shipments into the Gaza Strip
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a deteriorating health situation in the Gaza Strip, amid a chronic shortage of medicines, supplies, and medical equipment. The organization emphasized that the Israeli occupation’s approval system for the entry of medical supplies constitutes one of the most significant obstacles to delivering healthcare services.
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Speaking at a press conference held in Geneva on Friday, Raineihilde van der Werdt, the WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, stated that “large quantities of medical supplies remain awaiting approval.” She noted that “the average wait time for approval for a medical aid shipment to enter the Strip reaches 74 days, approximately two and a half months of waiting.”
She added that “the procedures required to obtain approval change regularly,” with the occupation authorities frequently adding new conditions without clear explanation, while also tightening the requirements for medical supplies to enter the Gaza Strip.
She stressed that obtaining initial approval does not necessarily guarantee that supplies will reach their destination, as additional procedures and inspections are still required before entry into Gaza. Furthermore, some shipments may be rejected even after initial approval has been granted.
She expressed concern over the repeated refusal by the occupation authorities to allow essential equipment into the Strip, including X-ray machines, sterilization equipment, and spare parts for computed tomography (CT) scanners, without providing explanations.
She warned that delays in storage threaten the validity of medicines and the integrity of medical equipment before they reach the patients who need them, calling for the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid and health supplies into Gaza.
She also called for the provision of clear, published guidelines regarding the procedures and requirements for importing supplies, with the aim of reducing rejections and delays.
