During a panel discussion on Thursday at World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) 2024, Palestinian Health Minister Maged Abu Ramadan emphasized the devastating impact of attacks on healthcare infrastructure and personnel, stating that the sheer numbers of casualties and destroyed facilities do not fully capture the extent of the suffering.
“What is important is human life, human beings, human dignity. In Gaza, the most important things to us are our country, our dignity and our children. What is very important is that they want to make Gaza uninhabited. That’s why they are targeting health facilities,” he explained.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the summit is exploring strategies to safeguard healthcare workers and facilities in conflict zones, with a particular focus on the alarming rise in attacks in recent years.
“Healthcare facilities should not be a target, especially given the increased need for healthcare during war,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus. He emphasized that two-thirds of the people losing their lives are women and children and that ceasing fire in Palestine and convening a dialogue between the parties is essential.
“The key to a solution lies with Israel,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said. “Israel should understand that it’s in its best interest to resolve this.”
He recounted the appalling atrocities he had experienced in Gaza, Sudan, and other countries. “We are sleepwalking into a nuclear war,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus.
The discussions were underpinned by the findings of the WHO/WISH report ‘In the Line of Fire: Protecting Health in Armed Conflict’, that advocates for a concerted global response to safeguard healthcare from the ravages of war.
The report recommends establishing a global alliance and appointing a UN Special Rapporteur to shield healthcare from the brutality of war.
Panelists of the session comprised Dr. Rick Brennan Regional Emergency Director for WHO, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean; Ms. Sigrid Kaag, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza; Prof. Leonard Rubenstein, Distinguished Professor of the Practice, Center for Public Health and Human Rights; Dr Mads Gilbert, Professor of Emergency Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway; Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and the Minister of Health and Population; and Mr. Yousef Bin Ali Alkhater, Qatar Red Crescent President.
In defiance of international law, attacks on healthcare have become increasingly common in recent decades, as highlighted by the WHO/WISH report.
The WHO has documented over 7,000 attacks on healthcare facilities since 2018, resulting in the deaths of over 2,200 health workers and patients and injuries to over 4,600 people across 21 countries.
The seventh WISH conference kicked off on Wednesday for two consecutive days. The summit features a range of ongoing initiatives and insightful debates between 200 experts from around the world to tackle critical health struggles and innovative practices.
Humanizing healthcare in times of conflict and inequality is the central theme of the 2024 WISH.
This edition is distinguished by WISH’s partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) which marks a new era of collaboration in global health.
