The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 February 2025
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1:12:09
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
- UNIS on behalf of HRC
TOPICS
- WHO - Tarik Jašarević with Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in oPt (From Gaza): Update on the health situation in Gaza
UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
25 February 2025
Update on the health situation in Gaza
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said the WHO polio campaign in Gaza was currently underway, with support from the Gaza Ministry of Health, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and other partners. The campaign had two goals: to stop the transmission of the polio virus within Gaza after the discovery of possible samples; and to prevent the threat of the polio virus to neighboring countries and territories. The campaign was targeting a total number of 591,000 children under the age of 10. After three days, almost 548,000 children had been vaccinated, representing a coverage of 92 per cent. Dr. Peeperkorn said he had been in the north of Gaza, and was surprised at how well vaccinations were received, including in complex areas, despite the rain and cold weather. Today and tomorrow were catch-up days and there would be second round conducted in four days’ time. It was a massive operation with 1,660 vaccination teams and over 1,200 social mobilisers supporting the campaign.
The campaign was taking place following the collection of positive samples in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, confirming the polio virus, Dr. Peeperkorn affirmed. In September and October, the polio vaccination campaign had reached 95 per cent of the population, and it hoped that the same target would be reached this time. Due to challenges in the previous vaccination round, including being limited to special humanitarian zones, 7,000 children had missed receiving vaccinations during the second round in 2024, creating conditions for continued polio transmissions. Sustained peace was crucial for the polio campaign and for providing access to health care, clean water, sanitation, and proper nutrition to protect children from preventable diseases.
Between the 1st and 24th of February, 889 patients, including 335 children, had been evacuated through the Rafah crossing, bringing the total number of patients evacuated since October 2023 to 6,295, including 4,640 children, Dr. Peeperkorn noted. WHO had pleaded to expand the medical corridors for medivacs, as there would be around 10,000 to 14,000 severely critical patients who needed to be medical evacuated, roughly 4,000 of which were children. This included opening the corridors to the East Jerusalem hospital and the West Bank. 772 health facilities had been partially or totally destroyed, with an estimated cost of $1.3 billion. Almost 95 per cent of hospitals were partially or severely damaged. It was estimated that there were $682 million worth of damage in the north of Gaza. The health sector in Gaza had sustained losses totaling an estimated $6.3 billion, as well as productivity losses, with more than 1,700 health workers reported as missing. The total needs estimated were more than $7 billion.
Dr. Peeperkorn had been in the north of Gaza on the weekend and visited several hospitals where the destruction was enormous, but he had seen positive signs, including at Indonesia hospital where emergency wards were now functioning, after being almost completely unfunctional a few weeks prior. It had only been a couple of weeks since the ceasefire, but there had been reconstruction. These were small, hopeful signs which should be massively expanded and supported throughout Gaza.
Responding to questions from the media, Dr. Peeperkorn recalled 591,000 children under 10 years old had been targeted for the campaign, and by yesterday, 547,848 children had received the vaccine, representing 92 per cent. The campaign had been all over Gaza. This was a remarkable achievement. There had been over 1,250 mobile teams, and this had been increased due to popularity. Overall, the results had been better than expected.
WHO had consistently advocated for medical evacuations and welcomed Jordan’s announcement of opening another corridor, hoping it would become operational as soon as possible. Traditionally, medical pathways have led to hospitals in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. WHO has been urging Israeli authorities to restore these routes, emphasizing they would be the most efficient option, but their requests have so far been denied.
Attacks on healthcare had been rising in the West Bank. Almost 40,000 people had been displaced and there were severe movement restrictions affecting all services, including health. Trauma care was currently ongoing, and there was a WHO mission going to Nablus this week to expand trauma care services.
Rolando Gómez for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said the Secretary-General had expressed his alarm at the escalating violence in the West Bank, particularly the northern governates, and once again called for the violence to end.
Responding to further questions, Dr. Peeperkorn confirmed the total needs for the health sector in Gaza were $7 billion. Roughly 18 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza were partially functioning. There were also five field hospitals which were operational. The health infrastructure had not collapsed, which was due to the resilience of the Gaza health workers. Al-Shifa hospital, the largest hospital in the south, was completely non-functional last year and severely damaged, and was now almost fully functioning. Palestinian health workers and partners had contributed to this. For all areas, including health, it was essential that the ceasefire held and that there was a transfer to a sustainable peace process.
In response to additional questions, Dr. Peeperkorn stated that WHO plans to deploy pre-fabricated hospitals by March. Challenges remained in setting up field hospitals, but the most effective health systems were those rooted in primary health care. He emphasized the importance of integrating mental health services at every level of the health care system.
Responding to further media questions, Dr. Peeperkorn said he did not have the exact number of detained health workers but stressed that WHO remained firm in its call for their treatment in accordance with humanitarian law. Before the crisis, Gaza had around 25,000 health workers, but many senior medical specialists had fled, leaving only a few behind. He expressed hope that a sustained ceasefire would encourage their return. WHO also aimed to deploy specialized medical teams — including oncologists — to support Palestinian colleagues. The number of hospital beds had dropped from over 3,500 to around 1,500. Al-Shifa hospital was undergoing renovations and planned to add 200 more beds, a development Dr. Peeperkorn described as impressive.
Responding to a question from the media, Tarik Jašarević for the World Health Organization (WHO), said when it came to the overall impact of funding cuts, any cuts in funding would have consequences on the different programs of WHO. WHO needed to diversify funding and mobilize resources. Member States had agreed to increase contributions by 20 per cent and WHO would introduce cost cutting measures when it came to travel and staffing, the agency would continue its engagement with the United States Government.
Dr. Peeperkorn noted that the Occupied Palestinian Territory benefited from a diverse pool of funders and donors, highlighting the United States as a significant and valued partner. He emphasized that WHO had demonstrated its effectiveness and operational capacity in responding to the crisis in Gaza. To date, more than seven million treatments had been provided, and over nine million liters of fuel had been delivered to health facilities and hospitals. Despite these efforts, the needs remained vast. Dr. Peeperkorn urged the United States to reconsider its support — not only in terms of funding but also as a vital technical partner.
In response to further questions, Dr. Peeperkorn confirmed that WHO's 2025 response plan had been prepared and shared. He noted that $46 million in planned funding for 2025 remained unusable, prompting WHO to seek support from other partners, Member States, and donors. While operations in Gaza could continue for now, Dr. Peeperkorn stressed the need for flexible funding from Member States to sustain future efforts. He acknowledged the potential impact of frozen funds from key partners but highlighted WHO's collaboration with a group of 30 partners, with hopes to expand and diversify support to ensure their work moves forward.
Dr. Peeperkorn stated that the freezing of $46 million would leave six critical areas underfunded: procurement, partner coordination, fuel supplies, rehabilitation of key facilities, parts of the medivac operations, and certain protection activities. He emphasized that these funds would have been crucial in addressing urgent needs. Despite this setback, WHO remained fully operational, using the resources currently available. Looking ahead, Dr. Peeperkorn highlighted the growing financial requirements — an estimated $250 to $300 million — to support rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts and sustain operations into 2025, 2026, and beyond.
Bat Coronavirus in China
Responding to a question, Tarik Jašarević, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO was aware of the study on the Bat Coronavirus in China, which had been published recently, and had technical teams looking into this. Research into new or reemerging pathogens was crucial for public health policy and preventing outbreaks. Lab research had to be done in a practical and safe way, and WHO had published guidelines which outlined how this could be done.
Mpox
Responding to another question, Tarik Jašarević for the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO was not sure when the outcome of the third meeting of the Mpox Emergency Committee would be ready. It would either be tonight or tomorrow.
Unknown Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In response to questions, Tarik Jašarević for the World Health Organization (WHO), said information on an unknown disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths had been shared in the regional WHO newsletter. The exact cause remained unknown; 13 samples had tested negative for Ebola and Marburg. WHO was determining if it was another infection, or a toxic agent. These were remote areas in the DR Congo with limited surveillance capacities and infrastructure. It was important for WHO to support local health authorities.
Mr. Jašarević clarified that a toxic agent was an element which had been consumed by the population, while an infective pathogen was something spread through people. WHO did not know what the disease was at this stage and needed to undertake further investigations. The area was very remote and there were no laboratories. WHO was in contact with the authorities and were determining where they could offer support.
United States Funding Withdrawal
Responding to additional questions, Tarik Jašarević, for the World Health Organization (WHO), stressed that the withdrawal of United States funding affected not only WHO but also non-governmental organizations working in the health sector. WHO was actively gathering data on service disruptions to assess how best to support affected countries. He emphasized the importance of diversifying funding sources, including for the broader United Nations system, to ensure sustainable financing. Countries had agreed to increase their core contributions, which could be allocated flexibly. Mr. Jašarević confirmed that WHO would continue its dialogue with the United States and expressed hope that the decision would be reconsidered. He did not have the exact figure for the funding impacted.
Announcements
Rolando Gómez for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said a statement had been shared on Sudan on behalf of the Secretary-General last night, which expressed his deep concern at the announcement of the Rapid Support Forces of a political charter which intended to establish a governing authority in Rapid Support Forces areas of Control.
Mr. Gómez also said the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights would issue its concluding observations on the reports of Croatia, Peru, United Kingdom, Rwanda and Philippines, this Friday the 28th of February.
The Conference on Disarmament continued today, under the Presidency of Ms. Ichikawa Tomiko of Japan, having begun its high-level segment yesterday.
The Human Rights Council began its 58th session yesterday with opening statements from the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It continued today with the bi-annual debate on the death penalty, and its high-level segment which began yesterday.
Finally, Mr. Gómez said the Group of Human Rights Expert on Nicaragua would hold a press conference tomorrow at 11am to present the results of their latest report, which would be presented to the Council next Friday.
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Teleprompter
[Other language spoken]
Thank you for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this press briefing today, Tuesday, the 25th of February.
A fairly light agenda, but incredibly important agenda indeed.
And we're very pleased to have with us, as always, our friend Rick Peppercorn.
Doctor Rick Peppercorn, who is WHS representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, who is joining us from Gaza.
So I'm going to throw over to you, Rick, right away.
And thank you in advance for joining us here once again.
Rick, over to you.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
OK, so good morning to all and greetings from Gaza.
I want to focus on the three topics, I mean polio, medevac and some general health issues, but let's start with with polio.
So the currently a polio campaign is ongoing.
It's in coordination with and support and managed by the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and one and many partners.
This campaign has two goals.
First of all is of course to stop the transmission of the polio virus within Gaza after discovery of positive environmental samples, to ensure that we do not get polio cases in Gaza.
The second goal or objective is to prevent the spread of poliovirus to neighbouring countries and territories.
So the total number of children at the age of 10, the targets was 591,000.
After three days of the campaign, over almost 548,000 children have been vaccinated.
So this represents a coverage over 92%.
And just to give you some figures, in the first day over 261,000 children were vaccinated, in day two, 193,000 children were vaccinated and in day three and 94,000 children were vaccinated.
I was Friday, I was in the north and Saturday the campaign kicked off there.
And again, I was happily surprised how well vaccinations are received in Gaza, drones of of parents bringing in their their children, even in very complex areas in the north.
In the north of Gaza, we've seen of course an, an almost half a million people moving to from the South to the north since the ceasefire.
So the conditions also really kind of change.
So the despite the the some of the rain and definitely the the cold weather campaign has been going on relatively well today and tomorrow is what we call the catch up days and then we should have a second round in in four weeks time.
It's a mess of operation.
You talk about 16 and 16 vaccination teams 12 on the social mobilizers.
The I already said why this campaign is needed after environmental samples in were positive in Diabola and Khan Yunus collected in December and general December 24 and January 25.
So they confirm the continuation of the of of the circulation of the of the poliovirus.
We've seen two previous vaccination route in the Gaza strips which were successfully conducted in September and October reaching over 95% and we hope to reach the same target.
But then in the, in the first polio campaign in September, October, we had of course challenges.
We had this area, specific humanitarian zones, but we had some areas outside that those zones.
And in the second round, we missed approximately 7 to 8000 children in the north of Gaza.
So sustained peace is is crucial not only for polio campaign, but for all the vaccine preventable diseases, ensuring that all children can build their overall immunity.
It's also essential to provide access to healthcare, clean water, sanitation and proper nutrition because this this, of course, this, this polio outbreak is not coming in a vacuum.
It's coming in an, in an environment of severely challenged water and sanitation conditions, washing nutrition conditions and an an an enormous increased infectious diseases that's on polio.
[Other language spoken]
So between the 1st of February, I mean almost the start of the ceasefire and and 24 February, 889 patients including of which 889% of which 335 were children have been evacuated through the Rafah crossing.
So this brings including their companions, this brings the total number of patients evacuated since October 2023 to to 6300 including and it's it's almost 4000, seven, 650 children.
We know that before the ceasefire and and before the rough foreclosure, almost 4900 children and 4900 patients were evacuated which then hold 4000 children.
But after the Rafa closure through Karam Shalom Karam Abu Salem, only 460 patients were matter of fact of which 271 were children.
We we hope to get started as well to matter fact to to Jordan soon and we hope of course we still plea to expand the medical corridors for matter of fact, not just through the Rafa crossing which is now daily between 40 and 50 patients plus companions.
We need to expand the medical corridors, but because we estimate that between 12:10 and 14,000 patients, severe critical patients are a need for medevac of which roughly an estimated roughly like more than 4000 children.
So it's absolutely needed that we expand the medical corridors and that including the corridor to the East Jerusalem hospitals and the West Bank.
Otherwise we will be medevacing for years to come.
My last point is a little bit to the the and I think all of you read or have probably seen the the interim rapid damage in these assessment so-called IRDNA and that was from October 23 to October 24.
[Other language spoken]
But when you look at health and I just want to focus on on, on on health.
Destruction of healthcare infrastructure includes complete with a partial destruction of 772 health facilities with an estimated economic damage of of US 1.3 billion.
It includes significant damages to hospital.
Almost 95% of the hospitals are partly or or or severely damaged private facilities 91%, public health sentences 88% alongside critical facilities such as pharmacies, dental practises, maternity clinics, the only psychiatric hospital, et cetera.
A larger share of the damage is over 809 million comes from destruction of hospital and the Gaza governor borne the brunt of this.
I mean like you estimate 682 million of losses in the north of Gaza and the health sector in Gaza sustained losses totally an estimated 6.3 billion significantly impacting its functionality assert delivery and attributed to disruption of health care services, the loss of human resources for health including those killed and injured.
And the sector faces of course productivity losses with over 1700 health workers reported as missing or maybe a flat leading to a staggering 2.7 billion loss in productivity.
So increasing in addition, increasing burden of diseases including the rise in injuries, infectious diseases, malnutrition, mental health disease had added 3.2 billion to the overall health related losses.
So the total needs estimated how the next decade is more than 7 billion and then the first three years you talk about over 4 billion.
Then WHO also we our, our own operational response plan is very much in line with the flash appeal, but also with our IRDNA which helps The Who team we are part of developing that and including the currently the ongoing the the plans to address that.
So our own WH operational response plan for 2025 has a budget of almost 640 million and that sounds like a lot, but more than half, half of that roughly 250 million is ongoing humanitarian health support.
You talk about essential health services, public health, intelligence, coordination and of course as the basis of all of that, the whole operating supplies and logistics.
[Other language spoken]
The humanitarian health, expanded humanitarian health support and the other 250 to 300 million is of course when we move into a more hopefully sustained peace process for early recovery, rehabilitation and and and reconstruction.
And I want to close maybe with that one.
So in the when I was around on Friday and Saturday and in in the north of Gaza and currently in the South, in the north of Gaza, I went back to Kamal at one and to Alada and Indonesian hospitals in Javalia and get in bed, bed unknown and badly.
Destruction is enormous, but I saw also some positive signs what is possible.
When I was it just after the start of a ceasefire.
The only hospital in the north which was minimal functional was Al Ada Kamalat 1 is is is very much destroyed and and and severely damaged and it was completely non functional.
The same applies for for for Indonesian hospital that is damaged, not destroyed, damaged, but also non functional.
Now in Kamalat 1 there is an OPD structure, a tenter structure and another structure next to the hospital, which has been set up as an outpatient department, a little bit like a primary healthcare clinic, including a malnutrition, A malnutrition unit supported by WHO, the OPD with medical supplies, fuel, but also the malnutrition ward with little malnutrition.
I would say OPD supported supplies.
That was a hopeful sign and and there's plans to have a a small field hospital, primary healthcare centre on the terrain of Kamalagawa.
You know, before that the, the hopefully the reconstruction of a paediatric hospital can start Indonesian Hospital and I think very much thanks to again the health workers, Indonesian Hospital and the emerging medical team Mercy doing a fantastic job.
So 3-4 weeks ago, non functional.
Now the emergency ward is functioning for 24 hours and outpatient department is functioning and restoring the operation theatres currently doing only the the most needed operations and and trauma.
But when it is needed, but when the OT is finished etcetera, being able to do much more and that's only in a couple of week of time, which material locally and and I would say I will call it small rehabilitation and reconstruction.
There's war going on to Indonesia and also to get the oxygen, oxygen plant going again.
Those are small hopeful signs which we should massively expense and support Allah of Gaza over to you.
Thank you very much.
Rick, my colleagues are asking if you could share your notes if you haven't already done that or maybe I just mentioned that Tarek is also online colleagues, should you have questions for him.
So thanks very much for this comprehensive overview.
A bit of good news, you said it, sustained peace is crucial.
Of course, we would echo that for just about all aspects of life in in the Gaza Strip.
So over to you colleagues, Olivia of Reuters.
Thanks very much for this briefing.
If I may, I have three questions.
The first, can you just confirm the figure is 548,000 children who have been vaccinated in this latest round?
The second, you said that there is a need to expand medical corridors.
What is preventing that from happening?
What challenges are you facing in that regard?
And finally, if I may, I would also like to ask a question about the West Bank with reports of camps, camps that are being cleared out, what pressures is this putting on the healthcare system there in terms of sanitation, civilian casualties?
And how concerned are you at the World Health Organisation that you could be stretched across 2 areas now in major need for urgent medical care and assistance?
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
So first back on the polio figure.
So the the target is 591,000 children under 10 and currently 547.
If I really want to be surprised by yesterday, 500 and 47848 thousand children have been receiving the vaccine, polio vaccine.
So today that will be more, it will be probably, yeah.
So you could say 548,000 by yesterday received the vaccine, which represents over 92% of the targets and that is actually all over Gaza.
So this time the campaign because it was a ceasefire, we didn't have to do it according to zones.
So the campaign was all over Gaza, 3 days campaign and two days what we call mop up and the currently.
So the campaign started on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, the three days campaign and today and tomorrow are the so-called mop up days.
So that's a, a remarkable achievement.
And, and, and, and personally, I didn't think we would reach that over the 90% because I know that the, the first campaign is September, October.
You know, there was so much enthusiasm also for people to get out of the street.
There was this humanitarian pauses and I thought, let's see if we get the same type of enthusiasm.
And I think it's, it says something first about the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, ANRA and all partners on the ground, the more than 16160 vaccination teams, the 1200 social mobilizers, the supervisors, the, and specifically the mobile teams had to do a huge, enormous, like from the 660 vaccination teams, there were roughly 400 fix sites and over 12 or 50 mobile teams.
And after the first day we noticed that less people actually went through the fixed sites and so more we even brought in more mobile teams all over the place.
The micro planning was very complex because of the of the massive population shift over the last weeks since the ceasefire.
But I think so overall results better than expected.
The medevac you asked the question.
[Other language spoken]
So what we we have been arguing for this all along.
We expect between 10 and 14,000 critical patients with need to be the pad of act.
We discussed what happened during the war and and and and and the crisis before the Rafa, before the Rafa closure and after and now during the ceasefire.
So between 4050 patients and companions per day going through the Rafa crossing that's too little.
We really welcome Jordan.
The announcement from from, from, from Jordan that we actually, yeah, that that more and more that will actually open up another corridor when it's happening.
So we hope that this starts as soon as possible.
But of course, the traditional pathway was always to East Jerusalem hospitals and to the West Bank.
We want to restore that.
And we've been requesting for that currently not allowed by the Israeli authorities.
And we're constantly pressuring on that because the East Jerusalem hospitals made plans for that, the the West Bank hospitals.
And that would be, it would be such a welcoming corridor and it would be also, I think, the most efficient.
And then from there, from the West Bank, East Jerusalem or from other places, if, if some of the patients needs specialised care and they cannot get in those in those in those hospitals, well, we need to organise a matter of fact to other countries.
Your last questions, we're on the West Bank.
And yeah, apologies, I should have said something about that incredibly critical this morning there was a humanitarian country team briefing on the matter of fact, a very specific briefing and, and, and maybe you should get that one.
I think everyone is greatly concerned about current developments and, and of course this has an implication on on health, not only if you look at the deaths and injuries between the 1st January, 13 February, 81st, 13 February, not even today 82 Palestinians have been killed there and including 25 genuine 10 into bars and and I think 9 into to Karan received the current flashpoint for for violence.
We have seen attacks on the health since in in in 20 since 2023, starkly rising in the West Bank.
7 and 37 health attacks since October 20, 2344.
Health attacks documented in the West Bank between the 1st of January and the 13th of January.
There's almost 40,000 people displaced.
I mean what we get the severe movement restrictions and that's of course affecting all services, but very much including health and then called from top.
There was already this fiscal crisis from the Palestinian authorities very much affected health and health services before this crisis.
So as who would we try to support is pre positioning supplies as much as possible in let's say key hospitals in the in the West Bank.
Then also there is always ongoing trauma care programme, which is, which is also currently going in trauma care training from community level all the way up to the third level, third level hospitals, which is ongoing.
There's a mission actually WHO mission this week going to Nablus to do exactly this.
I mean, like to, to expand on the trauma care programme, but also see assess other needs and specifically on the preposition of supplies.
I want to also raise here UNRAT and other partners.
They do what they can on services and not just on health.
So it's important that that continues.
But yeah, deeply concerning.
And and if I get a presentation on the on the on the West Bank, which which was very good in the ACT, maybe we can share that as well.
Over to you.
Thanks, Rick.
And just to mention, we do they have shared the notes with you.
And maybe just let me take this opportunity to, of course remind you that the Secretary General yesterday and his comments to this Human Rights Council did address the situation in the West Bank.
And I'll echo his absolute alarm by the escalating violence therein, including the attacks and large scale Israeli security force operations in the Occupy West Bank's northern governance, which include the deployment of Israeli tanks for the first time in over 2 decades.
So the Secretary General is absolutely alarmed by this escalating violence and he's obviously calling all as he has been since beginning of the conflict, particularly the recent conflict for peace sustainable piece.
We have a few more questions for you Rick, We'll go in the room Robin of AFP.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So but the first one is just a numbers 1.
So if I start with that one, the 7 billion needs that you talked about is can you clarify is that only for the health sector?
Yes, that's only for the health sector.
That's correct.
I think the overall RRIRDNAI mean it's public is like 43 or 44 billion out of my head.
And with regard to house at the seven, correct.
[Other language spoken]
And then just one on hospitals, there we go, one on hospitals and one on healthcare staff.
How many hospitals are, can you just give us an update?
How many hospitals are operating in the Gaza Strip today and what level of functionality are they are they operating at?
And secondly, what's the situation in terms of healthcare personnel, particularly in terms of the local staff and also the international teams that have come in, Is there anywhere near the numbers that are required?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
On the, on the, on the, on the the health and health functionality and, and access, the numbers are a little similar as I think we presented last time, like roughly half, 18 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are what we call partly functional and 59 after 144 Primary Health care centre centres are partly functional.
In addition, there's a number of field hospitals, 5 field hospitals and, and seven, I would say smart smaller, yeah, smaller field hospitals operational on the and, and I think it's by the way, it's something to stress again that we get also this question during this crisis and this war that the health services and health infrastructure, health service has collapsed.
It has not.
And, and it is, it is partly functional in some areas, minimal functional, but it has not collapsed.
And I really credit that to the resilience of the Gaza health workers, the Gaza health workers together with huge support and very effective support from WHO and partners including those emergency medical teams.
And I think currently we are totally every 33 emerging medical team in and and they've provided more than two and a half million consultations already since they are most of the, it's that process started in in December, January as in January 2024, an increasing number of emerging medical team and some of them are incredibly, I would say effective and specifically when they are linked to existing infrastructure.
And to give you an example, Shiva Hospital, which was largely destroyed or severely damaged is and was not functional for a while, is currently working as a referral hospital.
And it is WHO we support with essential medicine, which we constantly do essential medical, medical supplies, fuel, but we also support now with a national emergency medical team and but also an international medical team.
UK met is active there as well, which we support now.
Semitic complex is the largest hospital in the South was non functional.
I mean, everybody remembers that it's from last year February when there was a siege and WHO had to help with manufacturing of the last patients and staff completely non functional and and severely damaged.
At the moment that hospital is more than partly functional.
Almost all departments are functioning again and there's again Palestinian health workers supported with a group and number of EMTs and and it's largely not only UK Med MSF map UK a number of of partners active in that hospital.
And, and I think this is probably the most effective way.
One EMT focusing on rehabilitation, the otherwise specialised surgery, the other one on on maternal and childhood and obstetrics, etcetera like that together with Palestinian health workers.
I would say that's the big and also it shows what is feasible and we've demonstrated again with polio, but also with what I already see the current rehabilitation and, and, and, and yeah, rehabilitation early recovery was going on both in Shiva, but even that small rehabilitation in Kamal and one or, or in on, on Indonesian hospital is remarkable.
And that is possible when there is a ceasefire.
So I think as my colleague already rightly says, for all areas also specifically for health, it's absolutely essential that the ceasefire holds and that will be transferred to an A sustained peace process when because much more will be possible in Gaza.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Rick.
And of course, we applied the the valiant efforts of our Palestinian colleagues or the Gaza health workers under these extreme circumstances.
We said, I'll have a few more questions for you, Rick.
Let me check to make sure they're not in the room.
[Other language spoken]
In that case, we'll go online.
We'll turn to Gabriella of El Proceso.
[Other language spoken]
Hi, Rolando, thank you very much.
I have a question on another subject for WHO?
OK, let's, let's, let's let's go back to you on that case.
In that case, Gabby, let's let's exhaust questions on OPT first, if you could hold on to that question.
[Other language spoken]
Yes, thank you very much for Rolando.
[Other language spoken]
Last month, Doctor Pipakon, you just before the ceasefire took effect, you talk about the deployment of the temporary prefabricated clinics and hospitals.
So could you give us update on this?
The reason why I'm asking you this is there are reports that Israel has not allowed any of the mobile homes to enter Gaza, which is also a part of the ceasefire there.
So could you talk about prefabricated critics and hospitals?
[Other language spoken]
Joe is actually in.
We want, we're busy now and we were planning for that and we we had hoped to get that in by March and we still hope to get that in by March and and what we call a prefab hospital and then we link it to a partner.
So we're still planning for that and of course we will have to negotiate the entrance.
We have how good hopes that that we will manage that and we will report to you when we are not managing that.
[Other language spoken]
You should have to ask my colleague or I'll say and something like on, on, on the mobile homes and other things.
That's not my area.
There are issues, there were issues or there are issues there and including still I get also something from international NGOs in in some of the some of the items related to to field hospitals that there are still issues getting them in.
That is true, but prefab hospitals or WHO plans that in.
I want to make a point of if of course, we all hope we know it's fresh that we get into sustained peace process, then of course it's, it's the, the Palestinians and the Palestinians, the proceeding government together with the UN and for health, WHO and partners to plan for the way forward.
And, and if you look at Gaza to planning for the way forward, you want to make sure that you plan as effectively as possible for health services in the future.
So there should be some lessons learned there as well.
We, we always talk about primary healthcare, but let's say before the crisis, maybe primary healthcare could have been strengthened and, and maybe maybe there's not a need to rebuild all those 36 hospitals, but focus on the ones which are absolutely needed and, and make sure that you strengthen Primary Health care and, and, and the referral pathway related to that.
That is not, I think that's those analysis and, and, and initial planning is already ongoing.
That is something I think for the there should be Palestinian solution for that and government together with UN and partners which are will then pushing this forward.
And I would, I would really hope that on the, on the, the short, medium and longer term, yeah, we do this as realistic and effective as possible.
And, and, and we know that an, an health system based on Primary Health care is the most effective in that sense.
You need proper referral hospitals, of course, at all levels, etcetera, but you need a strong Primary Health care services.
We have to think differently in some areas.
If you talk about mental health and I've raised it many times, you have to ensure that mental health is not only integrated in All, in all levels of health services, but there need to be probably a community approach to mental health.
Gaza used always to have strong NGOs, gas and NGOs and we would hope they will be and they are already currently working.
They will be strengthened and revived as well to assist in in all of these areas.
Over to you.
[Other language spoken]
OK, we have a question now from John Zaracostas, Franz Font Cat and The Lancet.
[Other language spoken]
OK, we're seem to be having a problem with your audio, John, maybe muting on mute.
Let's try that.
If not, we'll move on to the next question.
Maybe if you can disconnect and reconnect.
John, sorry about that.
Or pose your question in the chat.
We'll take a question from Nick, New York Times.
[Other language spoken]
Could you just give us an overview of the number of hospital beds that are operational and what the prefab hospital will add in terms of capacity?
The second question is you, you've talked a lot about the critical role of the Palestinian health staff.
Quite a lot were detained by IDF during the 15 months operations.
Have they including some kind of senior doctors and surgeons?
Have they all been released or how many Palestinian staff are are still detained?
[Other language spoken]
Last question, I, I, I fortunately do not have the numbers and I think the association, of course we have been always very clear that this detained health workers needs to get back as need to be treated accordingly to international humanitarian law, but also need to get back as as to Gaza as soon as possible.
It's a very, that was has always been a really concerning development and I think we have consistently racist during this crisis.
I think on human resources, I just want to say like before the crisis there were we talked about roughly 25,000 health workers.
Now I want to make the point that a lot of the senior medical specialists, a lot of senior medical specialists, a large group, they flat Gaza and this is what we're seeing in some of those, let's say medical specialist areas that there's very few left.
We of course hope if there would be a sustained ceasefire that a number of them will return back to Gaza because they were there.
I you talked about and, and, and so people always ask like how many of the original staff do you think is currently working?
[Other language spoken]
I hear figures rating from 50% to 40% of the original health workers.
I mean like which are still, let's say operational gas up because you also discussed about all these other serves, the pharmacies, the labs, etcetera.
There's so many additional health workers need us and a lot of them.
And if you look at all those hospitals, which we still consider partly functional is a that yeah, there's definitely a lack of staff and that's why this EMTs, the emerging medical teams.
And in future we also would like to get some specialised medical teams in are essential to work hand in hand with our Palestinian colleagues.
And, and if you get a more in the ceasefire processes, for example, specialised medical teams on areas like oncology, we always because we talked trauma all the time, but all these non common call diseases, oncology, diabetes, that complex cardiovascular, etcetera, that is definitely in need for, for, for more, I would say specific medical specialists and, and their teams that would be needed as well.
On the number of deaths there, there used to be 3000 more than 3500 deaths.
And I think on the lowest it was like 1011 hundred.
I think now it's probably back to 1500.
It's not just bringing in a prefab hospital with a couple of 100 deaths, etcetera, which is now already going on like a Shifa plans to add another 200 deaths.
And currently the renovation and rehabilitation process is ongoing.
And actually it's, it's already in an in a much a much more advanced stage.
And I was really impressed when I saw that.
So that's currently ongoing to add to the deaths in Shiva, the same in National Medical complex to add to the deaths.
And I think the, the, the Ministry of Health and, and, and, and partners are looking at like that, like which hospitals and which are, are the hospitals which could add that's and, and in which area where they're needed.
And then in addition, maybe a few of those prefab hospitals or when hospitals are severely damaged, a temporarily prefab structure next to that hospital or within the compound of that hospital while when, when cease, when peace processes will be ongoing while those hospitals could be properly rehabilitated or reconstructed.
Over to you.
[Other language spoken]
Rick.
We have a few more questions for you.
I'm going to start off with by reading one in the chat from Musa of El Mayadin.
[Other language spoken]
He refers to a Guardian article.
The Guardian newspaper quoted doctors in Gaza as saying that they were subjected to humiliation and beatings during their arrest by Israeli forces.
Do you have any information about this matter?
[Other language spoken]
We heard these stories too, but I think, you know, we cannot confirm them.
And we, well, yeah, we saw that news and, and, and those stories go around.
[Other language spoken]
We don't have specific information on that.
Yeah, thanks, Rick.
And of course, if any information comes to light, we'll share that with you colleagues.
Still a few questions remaining on the platform Maya of UN Brief or the brief.
Maya, thank you very much for taking my question.
Rolando, I wanted to ask Doctor Peppercorn regarding the funding of WHO operations in Gaza, given the news of, you know, withdrawing pending of the new US administration to WHO funding WHO.
And of course, we know that this is still not being funded and it's until March.
I think there was something when Biden decided to cut funds.
And they said that according to some legislative agreement in the US only in March 2025, it would be perhaps reinstated on what you see is the situation and do you have enough adequate funding to continue operations at the level you have been doing for the next three to six months?
[Other language spoken]
Maybe Tarek Tarek is also line he might want to add to this.
So Tarek, you want to start or shall I start focusing on OPC Tarek, Hi, hi, hi, hi, Erica.
Well, you you you may, you may you may want to speak specifically on Gaza when it comes to overall impact.
Doctor Tetris was was speaking to executive board.
You will remember saying that that unfortunately the any any cut in funding will have a consequences on on different programmes of WHO.
What we need to do from our side is really try to diversify funding, try to mobilise more resources through the platforms that have been created in past years during this transformation process, such as investment around WHO Foundation and Member States you will remember have agreed to increase assessed contributions by 20% of the latest executive board.
We also will introduce cost saving measures when it comes to logistics, operations, travel, staffing and we will also engage with the with the US to, to, to, to have this constructive dialogue.
So this is it on a funding on general level, I don't know, Rick, if you have anything specific on guys.
Yeah, I want to maybe some more specific points.
I mean, I think Tarek, I think that's also been very much set by WHODG and others that we hope of course this will be reconsidered and and reviewed.
And because when you talk about global, global health and also specifically global health security, we all know you talk about collaboration and you don't talk about isolation.
And, and even as I just want to take it even a little bit more personal for myself that I'm a medical doctor.
I did a postdoc at John Hopkins University and everywhere around my career over more than 35 years, everywhere in Africa and in Asia.
And here, you know, I work with African institutions, if it is the, the, the many top public health schools in the, in the US, but also the CECNIHS etcetera.
I mean, like that's all part of working of global health.
So it's, it's, it's, it's the implication of funding at one thing, but also the whole collaboration, technical collaboration, etcetera is, is another major, major aspect now on, on OPT, we were I think lucky that we have a diverse group of partners and donors.
And for the from the start of this, this crisis, like almost 30 different partners.
Of course the US is also a really important partner of that and a large partner with the EU and all the European countries etcetera.
But luckily also in the in the region we get support UAE, Saudi Arabia, etcetera.
I mean like so there's there is unfortunate fortunately a diverse group and when we look at it and we we just we presented The Who plan, the report of 2024 and a plan for 2025 for OPT so that this of course the the West Bank easier rhythm and Gaza and with a budget of 640 million.
So we appeal to this wide group of, of partners as as Tarek also said, globally, but we specifically here for OPT and I think WHO, if we have proven every anything on the Gaza response, then we've proven to be extremely operational and very effective.
And we have been for the one within the one UN and partly leading in coordinating health.
And if I just say some of the some of the, the, the, the, the figures on on the medical supplies and the essential medicines for for surgery, like you've talked about 7 more than 7 million treatments, you know, which have been provided in Gaza consultations due to the whole supplies over the during the crisis, almost 80% of the medical supplies and essential medicine came in through WHO more than 9 million litres of fuel delivered to health facilities and, and, and hospitals.
We talk about facilitating, supporting and I'm only talking about the 2024 up till 2024 response, 5300 medevacs, the the Emgs, the 33 emerging medical teams have been brought in, facilitated and supported and then specific areas in maternal and child health, mental health rehabilitation and rehabilitation and reconstruction already going on, on a smaller scale.
So we've proven to be very operational, but also effective and that we actually spent the resources in the right way.
Of course, we need to continue in doing that.
The needs are enormous in this humanitarian phase and the knees are even bigger when we talk about early recovery and and rehabilitation.
So we really appeal to all partners, etcetera.
And I really hope that also if we're going to the US is reviewed and reconsidered because not just for the funding, but also as a technical partner.
Over to you.
Thank you very much, Rick.
OK, we're going to try John again.
John Zaracostas, can you hear me now?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Rick, I was just on your last answer.
[Other language spoken]
How much has the freezing of the US participation in The Who and in the A community affected your operations on the ground?
How helpful were the US teams in facilitating the movement of supplies through the various checkpoints and if you notice that missing?
And secondly, with reference to the rehabilitation of the medical centres, can you elaborate a little bit?
If I recall rightly, some of the processes facilities had been damaged as well.
Do we know if the clearance has been given for these facilities to be up and running and if you have an update on the number of amputees?
I think in your last assessment that stopped in May 20, 1024, it was about 4000.
You have an update on that.
[Other language spoken]
So John, thanks very much.
So, Oh no, Oh no, unfortunately Ampetes, I don't have that.
I will check again with my team here also better in Gaza and if I have you know better information that we will get back to you on the overall and, and maybe again Tarek might want to come in with the overall, you know the impact of the US funding.
But we as I said, we, we we presented that shares The Who operational response plan for 2025 and, and and then our report over 2024 and we've been doing this from the start of the crisis.
I think we were on the 1st in already November 2023.
We had an operational response plan and focusing along the well the most important areas of course, maintaining life saving essential health services, the public health, strengthening the public health intelligence and early warning and prevention and control.
The health emerged coordination and everything underpins underpinned by the medical supplies, medical equipment and, and and fuel.
And then of course the 4th objective was always early.
We offer rehabilitation, reconstruction, which is now much larger.
So when I look at the 2025 plan and, and we, we shared that and we presented that with partners.
We got that question as well from partners.
So for us, the US came in relatively late as a support, but they became a very important supporter and and in many, many different areas, I mean on medical supplies, essential medicine, also human resources, etcetera.
So currently we are directly affected here.
If you look at the financially we are affected by $46 million which is which we cannot use at the moment, which we cannot allocate and, and we had planned of course to use the majority of that year in 2025.
So of course that is an impact and we are looking to to other partners and, and, and partners and and, and Member States and donors.
Currently, we still can continue our operations in Gaza, but we've been very clear, well presented our 2025 plan that we need of course as much as possible flexible funding in the pipeline.
And if Member States cannot provide flexible funding according to our plan, we are very much open to specific funding on specific areas, if it is on, on, on coordination or if it is specifically focused on our recovery or more on the humanitarian area, essential health services, supplies, etcetera.
And we, we hope to to balance this as as good as possible.
So, yeah, of course, any, any key donor and, and the key partner where funds cannot be used, that will be an impact.
[Other language spoken]
Again, we were lucky that we had a group of 30 artists and we hope to expand and even more diversify and continue what is absolutely needed.
That in the areas I discussed that we can continue to do our work and we've been proven that we for the one within the one UN and partners we're leading and coordinating, but also that we have been super operational on the grounds and delivered under the most difficult circumstances.
Over to you.
[Other language spoken]
And of course, if Jens was here, he would say this.
I, I suppose I mean that the UN humanitarian agencies are always looking for, for, for new sources of funding to match the growing, the growing humanitarian needs around the world, which are indeed growing exponentially.
So to, to Rick's point, Rick, I hope you have a few more minutes.
[Other language spoken]
If, if you could indulge us starting with, well, personally, I just want to make sure, Tarek, if you have anything to add, just throw your hand up.
But we'll take a question now from Jamie of the AP.
[Other language spoken]
Doctor Peppercorn, nice to see you again.
You just mentioned 46,000,000 that you cannot use.
Can you be specific as to where the impact of where that money was allocated and what specific programmes or projects or assistance is going to be affected because of that lack of that money?
Yeah, I think I will try to be as specific as possible.
So the, let's say, the freezing of those funds for, for us here in WHR Apache would leave 6 areas underfunded.
And we raised this as well during our presentation with partners and then overall, and now we are having specific discussions with Member States and partners.
So the area of procurement of supplies, it's actually all across.
It's enabling the enabling of the emerging medical teams, which I just discussed also how relevant they are.
The partner coordination.
It was just a critical role.
I mean, as, as WHO leading the cluster and, and, and, and, and the partners including fuel the rehabilitation of some of the key facilities, part of the medevac operations and, and, and some of the protection areas as well.
It's a, it's a smaller now we of course made sure that we, that other partners also cover this partly.
But as I said, 4647 million isn't, is a large sum of money and it's, it's, it's, it would have been so incredibly helpful in in 2025.
I mean like that we could have used money for these areas.
Over to you.
Thanks very much, Rick.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Doctor Peacorn, just very quickly on that, you said that part of the medevac operations will be affected on that.
Does that mean that fewer people are getting out of Gaza because of the limits and funding?
And I want to make sure that currently we are still going full steam ahead.
We had we had some funds still left in the pipeline and, and some funds commit committed and, and, and approximately 40 to 60 million I said we, we still had either in the pipeline or you know, we carried over.
So we are still going full steam ahead on all the areas I mentioned.
But of course our plans are not just, it's not just for, it's for the whole of 2025 and then of course 2026 and beyond.
And I mentioned that, that when we only for WHO, so we estimate we need for the humanitarian areas roughly 250 and then when early recovery and rehabilitation and reconstruction start another 250 to 300.
So we need and I think and, and, and, and we did relatively well with resource mobilisation from the start of this crisis up till now.
And we expect also from the 30 partners that we continue along that way that everybody sees first.
Hey, everybody will, will, will, will, will see the needs, but also that this money has been really spent well.
And we can give you again the overview on for example, the the the our report of a 2024.
And if you look at the achievements they're I think they're really remarkable for a mid sized team of WHO in Jerusalem, Gaza and and the West Bank.
So we, I, I, I described the areas of, of support we made of course sure that there's other partners who also cover part of that area.
So currently we go full steam ahead with Medevac and, and, and as I said, we are looking forward to expense those operations including with the medical supplies and essential medicines.
But we need to do that for the full 20/25/26 and beyond.
So for that we need definitely need substantial more flexible funding or even specified funding on the areas in our in the key areas related to our operational response plan.
Over to you.
Thank you very much.
Rick, I think that exhausts the questions for you.
So if I'm correct, yes, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you as always once again for joining us briefing our journalists here.
And I, if I took note correctly, who has a mission to this week to Nablus.
So if that's the case, and good luck with that.
And then we do look forward to hearing back from you on how that those efforts go.
So thank you once again.
Tarek, I think you're online.
We have a couple of questions.
[Other language spoken]
We also have a question in the chat from Christian, but we'll start with Gabby.
I think this could be for for Tarek.
So Gabby, over to you.
Thank you, Rolando.
[Other language spoken]
Chinese researchers have found that a newly discovered bat coronavirus could at some point spread to humans like COVID-19.
Is this a matter of concern for WHO?
Are we going to have a briefing on this or if you can give us your thoughts about this or what?
What are your findings?
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, Gabriella.
We are aware of this study that has been published recently and now our technical teams are looking into it and, and discuss it.
What is really important is that to know that research on, on, on, on, on new pathogens or or re emerging pathogen is really important and it's crucial for formulating public health policies but also for preventing outbreaks.
Now any such research and lab research has to be done in a transparent and Safeway.
So there has to be protocols that are followed.
WTO has published laboratory safety guidance and manuals setting really up on how this research should be regulated by national authorities and what exactly practises should be followed at the lab level.
So research is important, but it has to be safe and transparent.
Well noted.
Thank you very much, Tarek.
OK, Christian, thank you.
My question on inbox, Tarek answered in the chat.
I was wondering whether you have the statement today.
But he said, well, this is just for the people in the Google might not read the chats.
I have another question.
Tell us go back together because there was another question in chat.
We don't know and and how emergency committee works is that there are members of emergency committee, they discuss the issue and they formulate their recommendation to the Director General on whether a particular health event should continue to constitute public health emergency professional concern.
It takes some time, this process.
So I understand that we would all like to to know whether this outcome.
Will be available tonight or we can all just go and and relax and have it and we will have it tomorrow.
But but we work really in a real time and once we have a news we give that news immediately.
So right now I cannot tell you if we will have a outcome of third meeting of emergency committee on ampux tonight or it will happen tomorrow.
[Other language spoken]
You're still on.
[Other language spoken]
I I had another question, Tariq.
This is about mysterious disease in Congo that I read news reports about.
People die within 48 hours.
It's a haemorrhage, fever, but not one of the known ones.
Do you know anything about this?
Doctors at the at the big Coral Hospital have talked about this and there have been 419 cases since the 21st of January.
Yes, this information has been published in in an outbreak newsletter of our regional office for Africa and I can I will share in a chat the link to it.
I know it's complicated to open the link, but you please copy the link and and put it in your browser.
So yes, there was.
In a northwestern equator province, 2 clusters of cases of deaths from unknown disease have have emerged, resulting in hundreds of cases and doses of deaths.
Those outbreaks, which have seen cases arise rapidly within days, poses significant public health threats.
Now the exact cause remains unknown, but some 13 samples have been tested negative for Ebola and Marburg.
So Ebola and Margaret have been ruled out.
So now we are looking into whether it's another infection or it's some toxic agent.
We are again talking about remote areas in Congo with a, with a, with a limited laboratory capacities, with limited surveillance capacities, with a, with a really difficult access and difficult infrastructure.
So you remember we had a similar situation a few months ago.
We need really to support local health authorities to try to get the samples to the, to the relevant laboratories that are closest to the affected areas and try to find this out.
But I will send you what we have, what has been published in a, in a, in a weekly epidemiological update from our regional office.
Thank you, Tarek, that would be most helpful.
Maya, you have a question for Tarek.
Yes, thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Can you just explain the difference between if it's a new sort of virus or if it's a toxic agent?
What does that mean?
Well, we don't know what it is, but it can be a toxic.
It amazed that it amazed that there is some element that has been consumed by population and that that has been and provoking intoxication or it's infectious pathogen that has been spreading between people or through the vector.
Like, like we remember last time there were lots of cases of malaria.
[Other language spoken]
So, so we need to do we need to do more investigations and to support local and National Health authorities to to do this.
Stay with us.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So you mean what do you mean by support, Look, supporting local authorities that they have the infrastructure, the labs capacity to do that or do we need intervention from the international community and what is the situation there given the conflict?
So, well, I, I, I, I lived and I worked in, in Congo, in the remote areas of Congo.
So it is really difficult access.
So basically the information first goes from a local health authorities, they go up to the regional and then to the National Health authorities.
Then we have to see really how to get there because the surveillance in these remote areas is difficult.
We don't know really how many people are affected.
We, we cannot do isolation of cases because there is no infrastructure, there is no laboratory even just to take the sample.
It's not, it's, it's not easy.
So we have to see what can be done and, and, and at what point WTO can, can support.
So we are because unfortunately you, you hear about the Democratic Republic of the Congo all the time.
We've been hearing about the situation in the east of the country.
We know that there is a current amplex outbreak.
We had these outbreaks of different diseases in the past.
So, so we will, we are in contact obviously with the National Health authorities and we are trying to see what exact measures need to be put in place, what it is to send the teams, what these teams should be equipped with, where can we get the samples.
And again, what is really important it was to rule out a hemorrhagic fever is like Ebola and Marburg because we know that those are deadly and we have a have a **** fatality ratio.
And I'm just pasting now the the link to the to the document so you can all have it.
Thank you very much.
[Other language spoken]
He just wanted to follow up on what Doctor Peoplecorn had said.
He was very specific about the impact of the US funding cuts in Gaza in terms of the amount of money.
Could you just give us a broad picture for WHO altogether what is the assessed financial impact of the US funding cuts, suspensions?
Thank you, please.
[Other language spoken]
But you have you have seen really what we issued a press release when there was announced suspension of funding for PEPFAR, which is President Emergency plan for AIDS relief that caused an immediate stop to HIV treatment, testing and prevention.
So now there was a way we're on that, which was a which was a good news, but we in the study does not include prevention services.
So that was the one an example Doctor Tedders also gave an example of Myanmar where people some 60,000 people will will have no access to to to life saving, life saving services.
There could be also impact on polio on M Box and it's not really only to WHO, because we are talking really about funding cuts to, to, to to NGOs who are working in a, in a health sectors and we work as a partners.
We are really trying to, to, to gather all the data on service disruption and then to see how we can support countries.
But again, just to go back to our main point, we need to diversify funding.
You heard that from, yes, this has been identified a long time ago as a, as, as a risk for WHO.
But hence was saying for the UN in general as well is that you cannot really you should not be dependent on on few donors.
So how to diversify this, this platform, how to make sure that we have a, a sustainable and independent funding in a way that we can, we can try to, to allocate it to different parts of WHO programme.
So for that there is an investment around that that has been done.
We are really trying to get see how WTO Foundation can help.
And also, as I said, good news was that countries have have agreed to increase the SAS contribution because that's, that's is a part of a core funding that that can be allocated in a in a way.
But we we will, as Doctor Tedder says, we will have to see how we can prioritise our activities in light of reduce funding.
But at the other day, we really hope that we will engage in the in the constructive dialogue with the US and that US can reconsider its intent to withdraw from the organisation and to cut it's funding.
I think Jamie has one more follow up.
Sorry.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I'm sorry if I wasn't clear with my question.
I'm I'm just Doctor people who gave us a specific number of the amount of funds that were affected.
And and so I'm just wondering what is the specific number for WHO generally how much, what kind of what amount of money are you, are you not seeing that you had expected from the United States?
And if you're not able to assess that, then just tell me that.
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, sorry, I didn't understand your your question.
So if you are looking at exact numbers, I don't have those.
I can give you the numbers that are being that US was giving in a last biennium and that what has been expected.
But again, there is, there are some, there are some different parts of this budget.
There is a core budget, there are 4 segments.
So, so really if you need exact numbers or specific programmes, I don't have that right now.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, Tarek, for taking all those questions and of course for delivering Dr Peppercorn.
As always, I think that does it for other questions.
So I'm just going to very briefly highlight a couple of points from my side.
As you may have seen, we shared with you last night a statement from the spokesperson for the Secretary of General on Sudan through which the SG expresses his deep concern about the at the announcement by the Rapid Support Forces, the RSF and affiliated civilian actors and armed groups of a political charter that expresses an intention to establish a governing authority in the RSF areas of control.
So that's a statement we shared with you after hours last night.
Terms of meetings, we have the Committee on the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Cesc is currently meeting and will conclude rather will issue it's concluding observations on the reports five countries interviewed during this sessions, namely for Croatia, Peru, United Kingdom of Rwanda in the Philippines this coming Friday, the 28th of February.
And of course, the conference on Disarmament also continues today under the presidency of of Miss Ichikawa Tomiko of Japan.
It's **** level segment began yesterday.
And of course the Human Rights Council began its 58th session yesterday, as you well know with the statements for the Secretary General, the President, the General Assembly and **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
So today the **** level segment continues as you will have seen from the statement.
So rather the update that Pascal and his team shared with you, I won't go into all the details, but just to mention there is a panel discussion currently underway on the death penalty and then the **** level segment will commence recommence this afternoon with 38 dignitaries scheduled to speak.
In terms of the Council, we also have a press conference to announce in connection with the Council session.
The Group of Human Rights experts on Nicaragua will hold a press conference tomorrow in this room, the 26th of February at 11 AM to present the findings of its latest reports to the Council, which it will present this Friday, the 20th of February at around 11:30.
So the press conference taking place tomorrow at 11 AM with Nicaragua experts and then the report will be presented on Friday.
And that is it from me, if you have any questions.
No going once, going twice.
OK, Well, have a good afternoon and see you here Friday.
[Other language spoken]