Attachments
Key concerns
• Continued dismantling of the health system, jeopardizing health service provision, access to health, and delivery of life-saving supplies. This further strains the capacity of the health system to meet the health care needs of the vulnerable population.
◦ Following the latest military operation, Al-Shifa Hospital - the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip - remains non-functional. The hospital has suffered massive destruction. Reportedly, 21 patients died during the siege. Prior to the siege, Al-Shifa served as the main referral hospital in the Gaza Strip with a 750-bed capacity, a laboratory, and a blood bank, providing secondary and tertiary services to more than 250,000 people annually, including some 17,000 surgical operations.
◦ The situation in Khan Younis, in south Gaza, is also critical. Nasser Medical Complex remains out of service for the sixth week. Al-Amal hospital also remains non-functional following the latest raid and hostilities.
• Increasing insecurity, destroyed roads and infrastructure, and lack of proper facilitation of humanitarian missions continue to hinder health access. On 1 April, seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) team members were killed during a strike. The team was traveling in a deconflicted zone in two armored cars branded with the WCK logo. WHO calls for a sustained and functional deconfliction mechanism to facilitate safe delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip, as per the International Humanitarian Law.
• According to the Gaza Strip Interim Damage Assessment conducted by the World Bank, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN), ongoing hostilities have so far damaged or destroyed 84% of all health facilities, costing USD554 million. Those remaining partially functional lack access to medicines, ambulances, basic lifesaving treatments, electricity and water. This has severely compromised the health system’s response capacity, and disrupted delivery of essential health services.
• The IPC Acute Food Insecurity Situation Report stated that Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza and is projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024. About 2.13 million people across the Gaza Strip face high levels of acute food insecurity classified as IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between 15 February and 15 March, including nearly 677,000 experiencing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5).
• Alarming rates of malnutrition: since January, a total of 28,180 children across the Gaza Strip have been screened for malnutrition, as part of opportunistic screening, with close cooperation with the Nutrition Cluster. In the north, 22% of screened children were identified to be suffering from acute malnutrition - 3.5% cases of severe SAM; 18.7% moderate cases of MAM. 5.4% children screened in the south were found malnourished, including 1.2% suffering from SAM and 4.2% with MAM. According to MOH reports, 28 patients have died due to complications of dehydration and SAM, including 25 children less than five years old.
• Access of Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) to north Gaza hospitals has not been possible due to the security situation. Only one EMT has managed to deploy in the area.
• Estimated 9,000 critical patients need to be medically evacuated out of Gaza, including over 6,000 trauma-related patients, and 3,000 patients with serious chronic conditions (e.g. cancer).
• Partner operations continue to be negatively affected by the displacement of staff, operational challenges, and disrupted telecommunication.
• Limited access to proper WASH facilities continues contributing to infectious disease outbreaks.
• Limited access to proper WASH facilities continues contributing to infectious disease outbreaks, including diarrhoeal illness and hepatitis A.