Tel Aviv [Israel], November 1 : The World Health Organisation on Wednesday, welcomed Egypt's announcement that it would treat 81 injured or sick people from the Gaza Strip in its hospitals.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes Egypt's decision to accept 81 injured and sick people from the #Gaza Strip for treatment. WHO has been working to support the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population in planning and establishing a comprehensive triage, stabilization, and medical evacuation system, by providing ongoing training for health care staff. WHO is also working with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to ensure that psychological trauma support services are available to patients" said the WHO.
The WHO has also called on authorities for accelerated access to humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
"WHO calls for urgent, accelerated access for humanitarian aidincluding fuel, water, food and medical suppliesinto and throughout the Gaza Strip and access for patients to referral services outside Gaza. Ultimately, WHO calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent further loss and suffering," WHO said in a statement.
The WHO team has also visited the Al-Arish, Sinai Governorate of Egypt and met with the medical staff to ensure the intensive care facilities and training of the medical staff.
"Our experts have visited Al-Arish medical evacuation facilities and met with medical staff and ambulance paramedics who received advanced life support training. There are 65 ambulances equipped with full resuscitation and life support capabilities. Thirteen of the ambulance teams include trained emergency doctors in addition to paramedics with advanced life support training," WHO said in a statement.
It added, "Al-Arish Hospital will be the main first referral hospital. It has fully equipped resuscitation and intensive care facilities, and a range of surgical teams to manage severe injuries, including major trauma and burns," WHO said in a statement. Onward referral arrangements to second-line hospitals in Egypt are also in place.
WHO underlined that thousands more people inside the Gaza Strip continue to need access to urgent and essential health services amid shortages of medicines, health supplies and other aid such as fuel, water and food.
It underscored that medical facilities and hospitals must be protected from bombardment and the military use.
WHO said, "Those in serious need include thousands of seriously injured civilians (many of them children); more than 1000 people who need kidney dialysis to stay alive; more than 2000 patients on cancer therapy; 45 000 people with cardiovascular diseases; and more than 60 000 people with diabetes. These patients must be able to have sustained access to health care inside Gaza. Hospitals and other health facilities must be protected from bombardment and military use."
WHO further shared that before the Hamas attack on Israel, around 100 patients each day needed to access specialised health care services outside the Gaza Strip because of the lack of needed, specialised health services inside Gaza.
Meanwhile, the first ambulances carrying wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip entered Egypt via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, an Egyptian official says, speaking on condition of anonymity, The Times of Israel reported.
It added that the live footage shown on television stations close to Egyptian intelligence had shown the ambulances entering the Egyptian side of the Rafah terminal to bring back what officials said would be around 90 of the most seriously sick and wounded Palestinians for treatment in Egyptian hospitals.
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