The WHO said 85 sick and severely injured patients had been evacuated from the Gaza Strip to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday for specialist treatment, in a complex major operation.
“I am immensely grateful to the United Arab Emirates for evacuating sick and severely injured patients from Gaza and providing them with lifesaving medical care,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The patients included 35 children and 50 adults, the World Health Organization said, accompanied by 63 family members and caregivers.
They were transferred from Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel and then to Ramon Airport near Eilat in southern Israel, and then flown to Abu Dhabi.
“Fifty-three patients have cancer, including four children; 20 have trauma injuries; three have blood diseases, including thalassemia; three have congenital conditions; two have fanconi anaemia; one has a neurological condition; one has cardiac disease; one has liver disease; and one has renal failure,” the WHO said.
Since October, around 5,000 people have been evacuated for treatment outside Gaza, with more than 80 percent of those receiving care in Egypt, Qatar and the UAE. Over 10,000 more people in Gaza still need medical evacuation, the WHO said.
No comments:
Post a Comment