Canada-Based Humanitarian Charities Organize Press Conference Calling for Urgent Need for Canadian Government Support in Addressing Health Care Crisis in Gaza

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Dec. 7, 2023 /CNW/ - The deteriorating healthcare crisis in Gaza demands urgent attention and immediate action from the Canadian Government. A press conference will be held on December 8th to discuss the pressing healthcare crisis and advocate for Canadian support to address the escalating humanitarian catastrophe. This media event follows a recent meeting between the Prime Minister's Office and press conference organizers. It also follows a joint letter uniting over 3,000 concerned Canadian physicians emphasizing the need for urgent intervention.

(CNW Group/UOSSM)

What: Press Conference on Urgent Healthcare Catastrophe in Gaza
When: Friday, December 8th, 2023 at 11 am EST
Where: UOSSM Canada, 2255 Dundas St W Suite 129, Mississauga, ON L5K 1R6

Who: The Union Of Medical Care And Relief Organizations (UOSSM) is a Canadian nonprofit humanitarian organization supporting health-related needs and well-being of people and communities affected by crises, through the building of sustainable health-related services and reducing human suffering.

Why: 

Speakers will articulate three critical demands directed at the Canadian government. Our approach is multifaceted, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian relief. Canadian International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) are ready to rapidly provide essential aid including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Additionally, our plan involves deploying medical personnel and equipment to offer life-saving care, with a special focus on severely traumatized children suffering in this crisis, particularly those who have lost limbs. This comprehensive strategy underscores our commitment to alleviating the hardships faced by those most affected.

Speakers will also highlight the current health care and humanitarian conditions in Gaza based which include:

• The healthcare infrastructure in Gaza is on the brink of collapse due to Israeli bombardment, shortages of medicine, and fuel scarcity.
• According to figures from the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the WHO, 26 out of 35 hospitals are non-functional, 87 ambulances have been damaged, and 46 out of 72 primary care clinics were forced to shut down.
• The deliberate and systemic targeting of hospitals, medical facilities and civilians constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and requires immediate condemnation and accountability.
• Since October 7, the Israeli aggression on Gaza has killed more than 15,500 civilians, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women. At least 36,000 civilians are injured, with more than 70% being children and women. More than 50,000 pregnant women are enduring extreme risks.
• The UN has recorded the highest casualties among healthcare workers, with 103 members killed since the conflict's onset. Additionally, more than 200 healthcare workers have been targeted and killed, and 130 have been injured since the beginning of the conflict. The UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO have called for urgent humanitarian supplies crossing into Gaza. 
• Israel has dropped more than 25,000 tons of bombs across Gaza more than, 1.5 times more than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima. Weaponry included the use of banned white phosphorus munitions deployed in Gaza for several days.
• Damage to housing in Gaza is enormous beyond any proportionality, with more than 50% of housing destroyed.

Press Conference Speaker(s):

Dr. Mohsina Chaklader, Humanity Auxilium
Dr. Aliya Khan, Board Member, Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-Canada
Dr. Ben Thompson, Nephrologist
Rabea Soofi, Penny Appeal Canada
Shaneeza Kanji, Board Member, Human Concern International (HCI)
Mashaal Saeed, Islamic Relief Canada

How to Attend: Interested media representatives can attend the conference in person at UOSSM Canada, 2255 Dundas St W Suite 129, Mississauga, ON L5K 1R6.

Note to Editors: The healthcare catastrophe in Gaza is an urgent humanitarian crisis that requires immediate action. Your coverage and attention to this press conference are crucial in highlighting the severity of the situation and advocating for swift interventions to alleviate the suffering and massacres of innocent civilians and children in Gaza.

SOURCE UOSSM

For media inquiries and registration, please contact Hana Faidi at [email protected].