WHO warns of disease outbreaks in Gaza amid crisis

CAIRO – 7 August 2024: Richard Brennan, Regional Emergency Director at the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, stated during a press conference on the health emergency in the Eastern Mediterranean region, that further escalation of the conflict in Lebanon is expected. He mentioned the use of artificial intelligence to monitor and predict the future escalation of the crisis.

Dr. Hamid Jafari, Director of the Polio Eradication Program at the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, confirmed the outbreak of type 2 polio in Gaza, caused by the spread of sewage in the streets due to the war and contaminated drinking water. Efforts are being made to vaccinate children and provide polio vaccines in Gaza.

He added, "We aim to provide polio vaccines in Gaza, which is a significant challenge exacerbated by conflicts and infrastructure failures in some countries."

Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, emphasized the need to establish cold chains to deliver polio vaccines and plan immunization campaigns for the large number of children in Gaza. He noted the necessity of trained medical staff to vaccinate these children.

He further stated, "Sewage infrastructure has collapsed due to road destruction, leading to outbreaks of diseases like dehydration and watery diarrhea. Reliable sources are scarce in Gaza, with over 100,000 cases of infectious diseases, more than 100,000 cases of scabies, lice, and chickenpox, and 100,000 cases of jaundice due to sewage outbreaks and the lack of a suitable environment."

Regarding the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, experts have observed that the deteriorating sewage infrastructure exacerbates the problem, with many patients not responding to antibiotic treatment.

Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, warned that antibiotic-resistant bacteria could spread beyond Gaza to neighboring countries. She explained that the sewage system contributes to the spread of these resistant bacteria, with sewage odors pervasive and access to clean water limited.

The inability to identify the appropriate antibiotics for certain infections could lead to a catastrophe that extends beyond Gaza. Ensuring access to treatment and the availability of medications in Gaza is crucial, along with the need for a ceasefire to prevent the spread of diseases and the emergence of new antibiotic-resistant bacteria.