The ten month-long Israeli war in Gaza, which has resulted in the killing of over 40,000 Palestinians and the displacement of 1.9m of Gaza’s residents, has devolved into a humanitarian catastrophe. In addition to internal displacement, overcrowding of designated safe zones such as makeshift camps and shelters, Gaza has witnessed a major deterioration in its facilities for water and sanitation. The fragile health infrastructures in place have steadily degraded as the war drags on, which has significantly increased the risks of infectious disease outbreak and spread. Since the onset of the war, organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have sounded the alarm about the risk of infectious diseases in the enclave – as early as December 2023, WHO reported that there were already hundreds of thousands of cases of disease recorded, including upper respiratory infections, meningitis, and chickenpox.
Last week, the first confirmed case of Polio was recorded in Gaza, although there are a number of additional suspected cases, in addition to detection of the virus at a number of different wastewater locations. As a highly infectious disease, a full-scale Polio outbreak would have devastating consequences for Gaza, and potentially the wider region, if it is not immediately addressed through a comprehensive vaccination initiative. The spread of infectious diseases, especially in areas experiencing conflict, can impact public health in immediate and surrounding areas, with the prospect for cross-border transmission a significant concern. The situation in Gaza has highlighted the need for enacting and implementing public health measures to strengthen biosafety across the region.
In early July, Ambit Advisory convened a Regional Conference on Emerging Biological Risks in the Middle East, with support from organizations including WHO and the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET). The Conference drew participation from representatives of nine countries across the region, and focused on the emergence of biorisks, their impact on the region, and potential strategies to mitigate them. The issue of biosafety and public health in conflict-ridden areas featured in the discussions, which served to emphasize the relationship between regional security and public health.