United Nations Calls For Prevention Of Famine, Disease Outbreaks In Gaza
By Ferdinand Olise
United Nations agencies today 15 January, 2024, warned that, preventing famine and deadly disease outbreak in Gaza requires faster, safer, Humanitarian aid, and more supply routes
A statement by the World Health Organization, WHO, said more people are exposed to deadly disease outbreaks, as the risk of famine grows, stressing that, a fundamental step change in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza is urgently needed,
According to Heads of the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization, (WHO), getting enough supplies into, and across Gaza currently requires the opening of new entry routes, allowing more trucks through border checks; as well as fewer restrictions of humanitarian workers, and guarantees of safety for people accessing, and distributing aid.
Meanwhile, the United Nations, international aid agencies, and non-governmental organizations, have so far managed to deliver limited humanitarian assistance in Gaza, noting that, without the ability to produce, or import food, the entire population of Gaza relies on aid to survive.
Executive Director, WFP, Cindy McCain, noted that quantities of humanitarian aid supplies fall far short of what is needed to prevent a deadly combination of hunger, malnutrition, and disease.
“People in Gaza risk dying of hunger just miles from trucks filled with food.
“We can keep famine at bay but only if we can deliver sufficient supplies and have safe access to everyone in need, wherever they are.”, McCain said.
Also, the UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, lamented the high impact of the situation on Children.
“Children at high risk of dying from malnutrition and disease desperately need medical treatment, clean water, and sanitation services, but the conditions on the ground do not allow us to safely reach Children and families in need.
“Some of the material we desperately need to repair and increase water supply remain restricted from entering Gaza. The lives of Children and their families are hanging in the balance. Every minute counts.”, she said.
Also, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said famine will make the already terrible situation catastrophic.
“Sick people are more likely to succumb to starvation and starving people are more vulnerable to disease.
“We need unimpeded, safe access to deliver aid and a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent further death and suffering.” he said.
On his part, the Commissioner General for the UN Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA), Phillipe Lazzarini, stressed that commercial activities, including markets have to open in order to reverse the situation in Gaza.
“Humanitarian aid will not be enough to reverse the worsening hunger among the population. Commercial supplies are a must to allow the markets and private sector to re-open and provide an alternative to food accessibility.” he said.
