On Monday, February 26, DGH hosted a webinar to discuss and describe the public health response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The crisis has become what relief agencies and global health specialists call a "Complex Humanitarian Emergency" or CHE, in which war or natural disaster destroy community infrastructure leading to mass displacement combined with lack of basic services and access to basic needs. CHEs are characterized by extremely high levels of civilian mortality, mass population dislocation, malnutrition, and disease. Dozens of international relief agencies and UN organizations have been struggling to provide support and services amidst ongoing fighting. Many of these agencies have been outspoken about the unusually intense and enormous scale of the humanitarian catastrophe.
Panelists discussed the public health aspects of the crisis and the role of global health professionals addressing current and anticipated health needs of the population.
Moderator:
- Abraham Flaxman, Department of Global Health
Panelists:
- Aisha Jumaan, Yemen Relief and Construction Foundation
- Zeena Salman, HEAL Palestine
- Yara Asi, Palestinian academic and author of How War Kills: The Overlooked Threats to Our Health
- Dhabie Brown, Norwegian Refugee Council
- Len Rubenstein, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, and Director of Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition