GENEVA, May 24, 2018 (WAFA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) voted on Wednesday during its 71st World Health Assembly, which convened in Geneva, in favor of a Palestinian resolution requesting that the next Director General’s report on the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory be based on the findings of a team of WHO experts after visiting the occupied Palestinian territories.

So far the reports by the WHO Director General were based on reports by other agencies and the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The vote was 90 states in favor, six opposed (the US, Israel, Britain, Canada, Australia and Guatemala), and 20 abstentions.

The Health Assembly discussed the 12-page report submitted by the Director General on the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory including east Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan, particularly Israeli attacks on health workers, ambulances and institutions and the impact of Israeli closures and blockade on Gaza on the health situation and availability of medicines and services.

Delegates reaffirmed the need for full coverage of health services, recognizing that the acute shortage of financial and medical resources is jeopardizing access of the population to curative and preventive services.

They agreed to ask the Director-General to provide support to the Palestinian health services, including through capacity-building programs and the development of strategic plans for investments in specific treatment and diagnostic capacities locally. They also requested support for the development of the health system in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and for health-related technical assistance to the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan.

M.K