Ghebreyesus: This was one of the most touching missions of my career
Geneva, 14 November (Hibya) – World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made an emotional statement regarding his visit to the WHO center in Gaziantep and the cross-border health operations toward northwest Syria.
Ghebreyesus recalled that the Gaziantep center served as the backbone of WHO’s humanitarian work in Syria for over a decade and played a critical role in delivering health support to local communities amid the conflict.
He stated that during his visit to Idlib in early 2023, he saw firsthand the situation of millions of displaced Syrians isolated from the world and entirely dependent on external medical aid.
Ghebreyesus emphasized that hundreds of WHO staff and health partners in Gaziantep worked with a single purpose: “To provide neutral and independent health support to millions in need.”
He said that the closure of the center does not signify the end of WHO’s support for northwest Syria, noting that existing programmes and institutional capacity have been transferred to the WHO Syria office.
Concluding his statement, Ghebreyesus thanked all staff: “I am grateful to all my colleagues who served at the Gaziantep center and who continue to protect the health of the Syrian people. I am proud of them.”
Europe Asia News
Facebook
Tweeter
Whatsapp
