Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Director General (DG) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom, has disclosed that 31 sick children, six health workers and ten staff family members were evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital in a joint operation with other UN organisations in Gaza.
Dr. Adhanom said on Sunday in a post on X that the Palestine’s Red Crescent Society also joined in the mission.
He noted while that the mission was carried out under extremely intense and high-risk security conditions, the organisations were able to evacuate 31 sick children, six health workers and ten staff family members.
“WHO has led a second UN and Palestine Red Crescent Society mission to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza today under extremely intense and high-risk security conditions.
“31 very sick babies were evacuated, along with 6 health workers and 10 staff family members,” the DG noted in the post.
He explained that the children were transported in six ambulances provided by the Palestine Red Crescent Society to Al-Helal Al-Emairati Maternity Hospital where they will continue to receive treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit.
While commending Palestinian health workers for their services, he pledged further missions to evacuate other ailing patients and health workers out of the conflicted area.
“Further missions are being planned to urgently transport remaining patients and health staff out of Al-Shifa Hospital, pending guarantees of safe passage by parties to the conflict,” he stated.
