World Health Organization launches appeal to address health emergencies around the world, including Syria

GENEVA — The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an emergency appeal for $ 2.54 billion in response to the war-induced health emergencies in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia.

According to the WHO, the number of people in need of humanitarian relief around the world has increased to 339 million, a year-over-year increase of about 25%.

In an appeal on Monday, the organization noted it was responding to “Grade 3 Health Emergencies”, such as disasters linked to climate change in Pakistan and food insecurity in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, as well as conflict related crises in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia.

The WHO indicated that all these cases overlap with the disturbances in health systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cholera, and outbreaks of other deadly diseases.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the confluence of these crises required an “unprecedented response”. He urged donors to respond graciously to the appeal, noting that more people faced “imminent risk of disease and starvation and needed help now”.