WHO Calls On Hamas To Release Civilian Hostages.

By Ferdinand Olise

The World Health Organization, WHO, has called on Hamas to release civilians it is holding hostage.
The WHO appealed to Israel to abide by its obligations under the international law to protect civilians, and health facilities.

The WHO also called for the restoration of electricity, and water, and to allow the immediate and safe delivery of food, medical supplies, and other humanitarian aid.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the World Health Summit, in Berlin, Germany on 15 October 2023, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he had met with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and discussed about health supplies into into Gaza

“Last week I was in Cairo, where I met with President El-Sisi, who agreed to facilitate the movement of health supplies into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.
Yesterday, WHO positioned health supplies in Egypt, ready to deliver to Gaza to meet critical health needs as soon as a humanitarian corridor through the Rafah crossing is established.

“And as we all know, this is only the latest conflict to erupt.
In our fractured and divided world, we must continue to seek common ground, and common good. The only solution is dialogue, understanding, compassion and peace.

“Those are exactly the conditions in which WHO was founded 75 years ago, when the nations of the world came together, in the wake of the horrors of the Second World War”. he said.

Dr. Ghebreyesus stated that, the authors of the WHO Constitution recognized that the only way forward was across borders and ideologies, towards a common goal of a healthier world for all.

“Humanity faces so many health challenges now, from war to the climate crisis; deepening poverty and growing hunger; rapidly depleting natural resources and natural disasters, and of course, global and regional disease outbreaks.

“It was only in May, just five months ago, that I declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency.
We arrived at this moment thanks to the incredible skill and selfless dedication of health and care workers, and the innovation of vaccine researchers and developers.

He WHO Director General further stated that, COVID-19 also laid bare the searing inequalities of the world, with the poorest and most vulnerable communities the hardest hit, who are equally the last to receive access to vaccines, and other tools.

“We saw a lack of coordination between nations and between health actors, and the politicization of science and the undermining of faith in our institutions from the spread of misinformation.
One of the great tragedies of COVID-19 is that none of this had to be that way.

“We cannot let the painful lessons of the pandemic go to waste.
That is why WHO has developed a plan for a more equitable, inclusive and coherent global architecture for health emergency preparedness and response, with equity at its core.

“The new pandemic accord, and amendments to the International Health Regulations, will provide the vital legal foundations for this architecture.

He however expressed happiness that negotiations are ongoing, and therefore urged all WHO Member States to work with a sense of urgency, with a particular focus on resolving the most difficult, and contentious issues so that the accord can be ready in time for next year’s World Health Assembly in May 2024.

“We are stronger together, and that is why multilateralism is so important.
Much has already been accomplished this year to strengthen international cooperation.

Dr.Ghebreyesus noted that the G20 under India’s presidency, and the G7 under the leadership of Japan, prioritized many critical health areas, including access to medical counter-measure, local production, universal health coverage, and the need for a One Health approach.

He thanked the leadership of the G7, and the G20 for committing to a better collaboration between finance, and health sectors. He noted that the collaboration has already resulted in the establishment of the Pandemic Fund to help lower-income countries increase their preparedness capacities.

Dr.Ghebreyesus added that, this year’s UN General Assembly, UNGA, also saw historic steps forward with, for the first time, three high-level meetings on major health concerns, pandemics, universal health coverage, and ending the tuberculosis epidemic.