Regional Director’s statement for the coming presser on RC71 highlights and emergencies updates
I would like to welcome you to this media briefing ahead of the Seventy-first session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean which will convene between the 14 and 17 October in Doha, Qatar under the theme Health beyond borders: action, access, equity.
As you will be aware, this year’s session – my first as Regional Director – is being held against the backdrop of escalating conflict which threatens millions of lives and livelihoods across the Region.
Twelve months of conflict in Gaza have resulted in 6% of the entire population killed or injured. Many of the injured are women and children who now face lifelong disabilities. 90% of Gaza’s population is displaced and living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to food, water, or health care. And they are repeatedly on the move, with further evacuation orders issued over the past few days.
Gaza’s health workforce is dwindling, with almost 1000 health workers killed according to the Ministry of Health. Today, Gaza is one of the most dangerous places in which the UN and partners operate, with 289 United Nations staff killed since October 2023.
Less than half of all hospitals are only partially functional due to damaged infrastructure, lack of fuel, supplies, human resources, sustained access and ongoing attacks of health. In fact, three more hospitals in northern Gaza have been asked to evacuate over the past 48 hours. Providing health care in these circumstances is a daunting task, and we must once again pay tribute to the health workers of