Doha, Qatar: Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari Chairperson of the 71st Session of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean, presided over a special session focused on the latest developments concerning emergencies in the region.
During the session, members of the Regional Committee reviewed critical developments regarding the health and humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, the ongoing emergencies across the region, and the latest developments from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB).
Speaking on behalf of the State of Qatar during the meeting, Dr Salih Ali Al Marri, Assistant Minister for Health Affairs, stressed the critical need to protect medical personnel and healthcare systems in countries devastated by disasters and conflicts, including the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Sudan, and Yemen. He underscored that healthcare workers form the first line of defence in responding to humanitarian crises, playing a fundamental role in saving lives and alleviating the suffering of communities, despite operating under extremely dangerous conditions, facing direct threats, and dealing with severe shortages of resources.
Dr Salih Al Marri stated, “In the occupied Palestinian territories, hospitals and medical clinics face immense challenges due to the blockade and repeated attacks. The doctors and nurses there are exposed to serious risks and are struggling to provide healthcare amid severe shortages of medicines and equipment, alongside the constant threat to their lives.”
Dr Al Marri highlighted, “The situation in Sudan and Yemen is similarly dire. Healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed, and access to medical care has become a matter of life or death. We also cannot overlook the situation in Lebanon, where medical personnel face threats and are prevented from carrying out their vital work amidst ongoing aggression.”
