Gaza on the verge of health collapse: $1.4 billion in losses and 17,000 cases of skin diseases
GAZA, April 25 (YPA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday of the continuing desperate humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that bureaucratic and security obstacles still hinder recovery and relief efforts.
The organization explained that the health sector has suffered massive losses amounting to approximately $1.4 billion, following the destruction of more than 1,800 health facilities, including major hospitals such as “Al-Shifa.”
In her first briefing after visiting the Strip, the new WHO representative, Dr. Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, described the scene by saying: “You can read the reports, but standing amidst piles of rubble rising for meters is something completely different.”
She added that families are living in tragic conditions among rats and debris, despite a fragile truce that continues to be punctuated by airstrikes and shelling.
Explosion in Skin Diseases and the Rodent Threat
The UN official recorded shocking figures reflecting the collapse of the living environment:
- 17,000 cases related to rodents and ectoparasites have been recorded since the beginning of the year.
- 80% of displacement sites reported skin infections such as scabies, lice, and bedbugs.
- Ban on Laboratory Equipment: The occupation is obstructing the entry of devices necessary for diagnosing and monitoring the spreading epidemics.
Long-term Disaster: Unexploded Ordnance
For his part, Julius Dirk van der Walt, head of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), warned of a long-term catastrophe. He explained that embedded munitions—including mines and unexploded shells—have become deeply lodged within the rubble, preventing people from returning to their homes and farms.
He added that the increasing population density in limited spaces makes dealing with explosives a daily emergency, noting that the Strip requires $541 million in funding to clear areas of explosives, contingent upon obtaining the necessary permits.
YPA