Funds for aid projects by international organizations in Gaza, Ukraine and neighboring countries
Vienna (OTS) – The Ministry of Health is supporting medical care in crisis areas with 3.5 million euros this year. Health Minister Johannes Rauch will make the commitment on Monday at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva. 2.5 million euros of this will go towards emergency medical care in Gaza and the care of refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The evacuation of seriously injured patients to safe areas is also financially supported. 1 million euros will go to projects in Ukraine and the neighboring Republic of Moldova. “The situation is particularly dramatic in Gaza. Destroyed hospitals and blocked aid corridors: Our help is urgently needed there to ensure medical care,” emphasizes Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch. He will also hold discussions at the World Health Assembly about how to proceed after the negotiations on the pandemic agreement have been temporarily broken off. ***
Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine and the war in the Middle East have significantly worsened the situation in the affected regions. In order to improve health care for people in these areas, the Ministry of Health is providing a total of 3.5 million euros this year. They benefit humanitarian aid projects run by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), which can offer urgently needed help locally.
Around 1 million euros will go to the WHO for emergency medical care for the civilian population in Gaza. Since October 7th, Austria has already provided EUR 32 million in humanitarian aid to the suffering population in Gaza and the region. A further 500,000 euros will be made available for the evacuation of seriously injured people and patients in urgent need of treatment to safe areas.
“Almost 80,000 people have been injured since the war began. The WHO is now also reporting increasing numbers of jaundice, respiratory and diarrheal infections. This is alarming. Medical care for the people of Gaza is the top priority in the current situation,” emphasizes Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch. “With our support we are making a contribution to saving human lives. The evacuation of seriously injured people to safe areas must also be ensured again in order to provide patients with acute treatment needs.”
The Ministry of Health is supporting health care for refugees in Lebanon and Jordan through the UN refugee agency UNHCR with an additional 1 million euros. The projects help the local health system, which is reaching its limits due to the reception of over 1.5 million refugees from Syria. This enables the treatment of serious illnesses that lead to permanent limitations.
The Ministry of Health is also supporting the work of the WHO country offices in Ukraine and Moldova with 500,000 euros each. In Ukraine, these funds are used to combat infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. Infection rates have increased significantly since the beginning of the war due to a lack of prevention and treatment measures. Moldova is promoting improvements in long-term care and support for people with disabilities.
“Warlike conflicts endanger the health care of the population not only in the war zones, but also in the immediate neighboring countries. The consequences are sometimes fatal,” emphasizes Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch. “International organizations can offer targeted support where it is urgently needed. I am pleased I hope we can support their work with funds from my department.”
Smoke at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva
The current development of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Ukraine will also be a topic at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Health Minister Johannes Rauch will discuss this with WHO Deputy Director General Michael Ryan. The topic of the conversation will also be how to proceed after the negotiations on the international pandemic agreement ended on Friday evening without an agreement. Austria was among the supporters of the treaty, which envisaged closer cooperation in the fight against pandemics and the transfer of medicines to countries in the global south.
Further bilateral meetings are planned with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Austrian Volker Türk and representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
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