KABUL: Officials of the World Health Organization say the ongoing war in the Middle East has disrupted efforts to combat Polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan after operations at a key global logistics hub in Dubai were suspended.
According to a report by Express Tribune on Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the halt in operations at the organization’s global emergency logistics center in Dubai has delayed the transfer of laboratory equipment for polio testing worth $106 million, potentially causing serious setbacks in efforts to eradicate the disease in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He warned that the consequences of the war extend far beyond the directly affected countries, adding: “Operations at the WHO logistics hub for global health emergencies in Dubai are currently suspended due to security concerns.”
Meanwhile, Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said that if the conflict continues, the organization may need to coordinate with several countries’ leaders to transport medical supplies through land routes via Saudi Arabia to sustain humanitarian operations.
“The disruption has blocked access to $18 million worth of humanitarian medical supplies, while another $8 million shipment cannot reach the facility,” Balkhy added.
The disruption is affecting more than 50 emergency supply requests from 25 countries.
The WHO Global Emergency Logistics Center in Dubai is considered one of the most critical hubs supporting humanitarian operations worldwide.