At least quarter of Gaza wounded have ‘life-changing injuries’: WHO

GENEVA: The World Health Organization said Thursday that at least a quarter of those hurt in the war raging in Gaza have suffered “life-changing injuries”, many requiring amputations and other “huge” rehabilitation needs.

At least 22,500 of the people injured in Gaza in the 11 months since the war erupted will “requires rehabilitation services now and for years to come”, the WHO said in a statement.

“The huge surge in rehabilitation needs occurs in parallel with the ongoing decimation of the health system,” Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative for the Palestinian, said in a statement.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, at least 41,118 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive following the October 7 attack by Hamas, while over 95,000 have been wounded.

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Pointing to a fresh analysis of the types of injuries resulting from the conflict, the UN health agency said “many thousands of women and children” figured among those badly injured and that many had suffered more than one injury.

It estimated there had overall been between 13,455 and 17,550 “severe limb injuries”, which it said were the main driver of the need for rehabilitation.

The report showed that between 3,105 and 4,050 limb amputations had occurred.

Other life-altering injuries including spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and major burn injuries, it said.

At the same time, WHO said only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are currently even partially functional, while primary health care services are frequently suspended or inaccessible due to insecurity, attacks and repeated evacuation orders.

Gaza’s only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation centre, located in Nasser Medical Complex and supported by WHO ceased functioning last December due to lack of supplies and specialised health workers.

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“Tragically, much of the rehabilitation workforce in Gaza is now displaced,” the statement said.

Peeperkorn said that “patients can’t get the care they need”.

“Acute rehabilitation services are severely disrupted and specialised care for complex injuries is not available, placing patients’ lives at risk,” he said.

“Immediate and long-term support is urgently needed to address the enormous rehabilitation needs.”