Conflicts and violence extend far beyond immediate casualties, leaving lasting scars on survivors.
This is starkly illustrated in the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report on the life-altering injuries suffered by civilians in the ongoing Gaza Strip conflict. With rehabilitation services disrupted and specialized care severely limited, an estimated 22,500 people are now in urgent need of long-term rehabilitation. Among them:
- over 15,000 have sustained extremity injuries
- 4,000 have undergone amputations
- 2,000 each are facing head and spinal cord injuries or major burns
The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that only 17 of Gaza's 36 hospitals are partially functional. Notably, the Nasser Medical Complex - once the only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation center - was damaged in February 2024.
The WHO has called for safe access to essential health services and a ceasefire, urging that these steps are crucial to rebuilding the healthcare system and saving lives.
To read more, please visit:
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154241
- https://healthcluster.who.int/newsroom/news/item/06-05-2024-restoration-of-critical-health-services-at-nasser-medical-complex
- https://www.who.int/news/item/20-02-2024-who-transfers-critical-patients-out-of-nasser-medical-complex--fears-for-safety-of-remaining-patients
