The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on the dire situation in Gaza, where thousands of patients are in urgent need of medical evacuation for life-saving treatment. Despite efforts to evacuate patients, the pace remains slow, with only 5,383 patients evacuated since October 2023, and a staggering 12,000 still awaiting medical evacuation.
The situation is particularly critical for children, with thousands in need of immediate medical attention. At the current rate, it would take 5-10 years to evacuate all critically ill patients, during which time their conditions will continue to deteriorate, and some may succumb to their illnesses.
In a recent development, 55 patients and 72 companions were evacuated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 31, 2024. The WHO has expressed gratitude to the UAE government for their continued support, which has facilitated the medical evacuation of over 1,200 patients to date.
The WHO has also acknowledged the support of several countries, including Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, Algeria, Italy, Romania, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Tunisia, Oman, Jordan, and the USA, in providing medical evacuations and healthcare services.
Dr. Tedros has urged Israel to take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis, including:
- Increasing approval rates for medical evacuations, with a focus on child patients
- Expedited approvals for medical evacuations
- Utilizing all possible corridors and border crossings for safe medical evacuations
The WHO has also called on countries to provide support by receiving patients and offering specialized healthcare services to prevent further suffering and deaths.
