Cairo, Copenhagen, Geneva, 24 July 2024—Sixteen folks from Gaza with difficult medical situations will arrive in Spain immediately to obtain care there, by way of an evacuation course of involving the World Well being Group (WHO) and a number of companions. Fifteen of them are kids, ranging in age from 3 to 17 years outdated. The mom of one of many kids may also be handled in Spain. The sufferers had been in hospital in Egypt for the previous a number of months, after evacuating from Gaza. They’re a small portion of the hundreds of different kids and adults who want entry to specialised medical care exterior of Gaza.
“These very sick kids will likely be getting the care they want because of cooperation between a number of companions and international locations,” mentioned Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-Basic of the WHO. “We’re immensely grateful for the help and facilitation supplied by Egypt and Spain. We encourage different international locations who’ve the capability and medical services to welcome individuals who, by way of no fault of their very own, are caught within the grips of this conflict.”
13 of the kids have complicated accidents, one has a power coronary heart situation, and one resides with most cancers. The youngsters, who’re accompanied by 25 relations and different caregivers, have been in Egypt since earlier than 6 Might, after which evacuations turned nearly unimaginable with the closure of the Rafah Crossing. Solely 23 folks have been evacuated since then, through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Since October 2023, round 5000 folks have been evacuated for therapy exterior Gaza, with over 80% receiving care in Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. One other 10 000 nonetheless should be evacuated.
“These kids are simply the tip of the iceberg. 1000’s of individuals of all ages nonetheless stay in Gaza who should be medically evacuated and are liable to dying if they’re unable to shortly entry the superior medical care they want,” mentioned Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean. “Sufferers who want evacuation exterior of the Gaza Strip should have the ability to exit, ideally to the West Financial institution, together with East Jerusalem, but in addition to Egypt or Jordan after which onwards.”
Immediately’s evacuation to Spain was supported by way of the EU Civil Safety Mechanism in partnership with WHO. The Palestine Kids’s Reduction Fund facilitated the sufferers’ documentation and evacuation approvals. The Authorities of Egypt supported their care whereas they had been there, and Spain is offering comparable help. The youngsters will likely be handled at varied hospitals throughout Spain.
WHO is encouraging different international locations to observe this instance.
“We’re really grateful to Spain, a WHO/Europe Member State, for having responded so willingly to our request to just accept a number of kids from Gaza for important therapy, a template for different international locations to observe,” mentioned Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Gracias, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Well being Minister Monica Garcia, and all who’ve made this attainable. Certainly, ‘to save lots of one baby, one life, is to save lots of mankind’ is an idea recognizing the interconnectedness of all humanity.”
WHO appeals for the institution of a number of medical evacuation corridors to make sure sustained, organized, secure, and well timed passage of sufferers through all attainable routes, together with Rafah and Kerem Shalom. Of utmost urgency is the restoration of medical evacuations from Gaza to the West Financial institution, together with East Jerusalem, the place hospitals are able to obtain sufferers. Sufferers should even be facilitated to be transferred to Egypt and Jordan, and from there to different international locations when wanted.
“The solidarity of the host international locations is a vivid spot in a conflict that has had so many moments of tragedy,” mentioned Dr Tedros. “The truth that severely sick persons are receiving wanted medical care shouldn’t be headline information, however routine international cooperation.”
WHO as soon as once more requires the top of the conflict, as peace is in the end the perfect path to well being.