GENEVA, 11th April, 2025 (WAM) -- Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in the occupied Palestinian territoryو has warned that the ongoing ban on humanitarian aid into Gaza is severely limiting the organisation's ability to continue supporting hospital operations across the Strip.
Speaking at a press briefing via video link in Geneva, Peeperkorn stated that WHO’s stocks of essential medicines, supplies and medical equipment are rapidly depleting, making it increasingly difficult to supply hospitals amid escalating violence.
He pointed out that WHO's central warehouse is experiencing critical shortages of antibiotics, intravenous fluids, blood units, insulin, hypertension medications, inhalers, catheters, heart failure and cancer medications, autoimmune disease treatments, blood transfusion supplies, and surgical tools for orthopaedic, craniofacial, vascular, and skin graft surgeries, as well as sutures and caesarean delivery kits.
Peeperkorn also highlighted the depletion of therapeutic milk, intravenous antibiotics for severe infections, orthopaedic consumables such as external fixators, painkillers, blood pressure medications, insulin, ambulance spare parts, and oxygen stations.
He stressed that WHO is prepared to deliver supplies into Gaza but warned that hospitals are facing critical conditions, further exacerbated by a decrease in the number of international emergency medical teams operating in Gaza — down from 97 to 68 — due to entry restrictions.