WHO: Emergency situation forces unnecessary amputations in the Gaza Strip
Published: Tuesday, Jan 9th 2024, 13:40
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), numerous amputations have to be carried out in the Gaza Strip, even though the limbs could actually be saved.
There are many reasons for this, said the WHO representative for the Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn, and the coordinator of the WHO emergency medical team, Sean Casey, on Tuesday. They spoke to the press in Geneva via a video link from Jerusalem and Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.
The injured often arrive too late because they cannot reach the hospitals earlier due to the ongoing fighting, said Casey. There was a lack of specialists, such as vascular surgeons. Due to the great need, hospitals are also overcrowded and operating theaters are occupied for life-saving operations. "I have never seen so many amputees, including many children," said Peeperkorn.
Casey reported from Rafah that recent amputees were begging in their beds for some food or water. The supplies were not enough to reach everyone, especially in the north of the area. "Everyone there is hungry," he said. According to Peeperkorn, 15 of the former 36 hospitals are currently partially functioning. There are also three field hospitals. The WHO representatives demanded a ceasefire, as they have been doing for weeks, in order to provide better care for the people.
Palestinian terrorist groups attacked Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 240. Israel has been fighting them with massive attacks ever since. According to Palestinian figures, more than 23,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip since October - one percent of the population. According to the WHO, more than 50,000 are injured, some of them seriously.
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