WHO is a long standing partner of Switzerland in the oPt, receiving contributions for the Right to Health programme and the Trauma Care programme. WHO best positioned to respond to the emergency health needs in oPt, particularly in Gaza to scale-up trauma and emergency care services, prevention of diseases, maintain access to essential health services and treatment of chronic conditions and ensure coordination among actors of the health humanitarian cluster.

The escalation of violence in Gaza is taking a heavy toll on Palestinian civilians. Thousands have been killed or injured, and over 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza Strip. To date, there have been 171 attacks on health care in oPt leading to 493 deaths and 387 injuries, with 56 attacks impacting health facilities and 130 impacting health personnel. The health system is on the verge of collapse and dwindling access to health services, clean water, food and fuel on top of an already weakened healthcare system risks further loss of civilian life. The risk of the spread of diseases in overcrowded UN shelters is high and must be urgently addressed with effective measures by WHO. The escalation of hostilities has already spread to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Lebanon Israel border and Syrian Arab Republic, with a risk of spilling over to other countries in the region. 

• All affected Palestinian civilians
• Health systems operating in the oPt
• WHO partners including, PRCS, Egyptian Red Cross

1. Provision of life-saving trauma and emergency care
2. Ensuring continuity of integrated essential health services, including primary healthcare; critical lifesaving supplies and deployment of EMTs.
3. Maintaining and reinforcing disease surveillance and outbreak control measures
4. Health cluster coordination
5. Monitoring water, sanitation, and hygiene in healthcare facilities and collective centres
6. Establishing/strengthening mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for victims and survivors of violence and health workers
7. Preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PRSEAH)
8. Advocacy and health diplomacy to protect patients and healthcare in adherence to IHL
9. Duty of care of all national and international WHO staff in all impacted areas 

Risultati principali attesi:  

• Providing trauma kits and essential lifesaving medical supplies for hospital-based trauma and emergency medical services; deployment of Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) as needed
• Establishing of trauma stabilization points and potential transfer of injured, critically ill people to points of care
• Ensure continuity of integrated essential health services by supporting existing healthcare facilities with medicines, medical supplies, and equipment to sustain the provision of uninterrupted essential health and nutrition services, including primary healthcare
• Prepositioning critical lifesaving supplies in other impacted countries; deployment of EMTs
• Establishing/strengthening robust disease surveillance systems, such as early warning alert and response system (EWARS), to monitor and detect potential outbreaks, implementing preventive measures and scaling up active case detection and management
• Health cluster coordination to ensure the effective use of resources and to avoid duplication of activities; undertaking joint strategy, planning and advocacy on behalf of health partners
• Working with WASH partners to maintain water supply and delivery systems in health facilities and collective centers; promoting proper hygiene practices to prevent waterborne diseases
• Establishing MHPSS services in healthcare facilities, collective centers, and camps, including establishing/strengthening community-based support networks for victims and survivors of violence and health workers
• Implementing measures to Preventing & Responding to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment PRSEAH, ensuring the safety and well-being of affected individuals
• Ensure staff safety and well-being of all national and international WHO staff in all impacted countries and territories
• Monitoring, documenting, and reporting attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel; engaging in advocacy to raise awareness of the health consequences of the conflict and advocate for the protection of patients and healthcare