Minister Raises Alarm Over Health Facilities Getting Worse in Gaza
- ANTARA/HO-MER-C/pri.
Geneva – The Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi has raised an alarm about the health facilities in Gaza that are worsening.
This was stated by her during the WHO Executive Board Special meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday that discussed the situation in Gaza.
"Therefore, it's important for Indonesia to be present to contribute directly, urging the importance of improving health facilities, protecting health facilities and personnel," the Minister stated in a video statement on Monday.
"It includes the health facilities of the Indonesian Hospital," she added.
Menlu RI, Retno Marsudi
- ANTARA/Yashinta Difa
The Executive Board is the executive organ of WHO under the World Health Assembly which consists of 34 countries. Indonesia was last a member of the WHO Executive Board in 2018-2021.
This meeting was not only attended by Executive Board members but also by non-member countries that have concerns about the situation in Gaza.
According to Minister Marsudi, the condition of health facilities in Gaza is getting worse. Of the 36 existing hospitals, only 13 hospitals are still operating and all of them are overcapacity by 2-3 times.
In addition, 71 percent of health facilities in Gaza are not functioning. Medical supplies, medicines, food, clean water, gasoline, and electricity are increasingly limited.
"Hundreds of medical workers have been killed since Israel attacked Gaza. WHO also reports the spread of infectious diseases is getting higher, almost 130 thousand cases of acute respiratory infections and more than 94,000 cases of diarrhea, to more than 2,700 cases of chickenpox," the Minister explained.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister said that Gaza is currently under siege. Israel has turned Gaza into a hell with the number of casualties continuing to increase.
Hospitals are under severe siege, including the Indonesian Hospital which was forced to stop operating on November 16.
"The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) order for medical supplies to be moved from Khan Younis to a smaller warehouse in Rafah is a gross violation of international law and human rights," the Indonesian Foreign Minister stated.
Minister Marsudi also explained that Indonesia has co-sponsored a resolution on Health Conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.
