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Gaza's healthcare system faces a critical collapse due to Israeli blockades, ongoing conflict, and destruction of medical infrastructure. Hospitals are overwhelmed, supplies are scarce, and thousands of patients await evacuation for urgent treatment. International aid is limited, worsening the humanitarian emergency as conflict persists.
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Since the October 2025 ceasefire, Gaza's displaced population faces deadly winter storms that have collapsed tents and homes, killing at least eight children and several adults. Over two million Palestinians live in fragile shelters amid severe shortages of aid, fuel, and building materials. Israeli restrictions continue to limit humanitarian access, worsening the crisis during Gaza's third winter of conflict.
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The United States has officially exited the World Health Organization after a year of warnings. The decision, announced by the Biden administration, reflects concerns over the organization's pandemic management and financial issues. The US will now limit its engagement with WHO, focusing on bilateral health efforts.
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On January 29, 2026, the United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending its membership since 1948. The Trump administration cited WHO's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and political influence concerns. The US owes over $130 million to WHO and faces challenges including loss of access to global health data, raising fears of weakened pandemic response and vaccine development.
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As of February 2026, two Nipah virus cases were confirmed in West Bengal, India, involving healthcare workers. Authorities traced 196 contacts, all testing negative. Bangladesh reported a fatal case linked to raw date palm sap. The virus, carried by fruit bats, has a high fatality rate (40-75%) and spreads via animal contact, contaminated food, or close human contact. Neighboring Asian countries have increased airport screenings. No vaccine or approved treatment exists yet.
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Fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei State has intensified, causing widespread displacement, attacks on healthcare facilities, and disrupting aid. The UN reports over 370,000 displaced this year, with escalating violence threatening to undermine peace efforts and worsen humanitarian conditions.
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Vaccine stocks have increased to nearly 70 million doses, enabling the restart of preventive campaigns in Mozambique and other countries. The move aims to curb ongoing outbreaks, with initial doses allocated to Mozambique, Congo, and Bangladesh amid a surge in cholera cases since 2021.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Jordan, focusing on humanitarian efforts. They met refugees, children evacuated from Gaza, and supported health and food aid initiatives, including the WHO and World Central Kitchen. The trip highlights ongoing regional crises and aid efforts.
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Iran faces intensified US and Israeli strikes, damaging civilian infrastructure, hospitals, and killing over 1,200 since Saturday. The conflict expanded with a US submarine sinking an Iranian frigate near Sri Lanka. WHO reports multiple attacks on health facilities, raising international concern.
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Israel continues its military strikes in Lebanon and Gaza amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah and Iran-backed groups. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage rise, with both sides accusing each other of targeting civilians and medical facilities. The conflict enters its third week, with regional escalation likely.
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The WHO has dispatched 22 tonnes of medical supplies to Beirut to support Lebanon's strained health system during ongoing regional conflict. The convoy, the first via a multi-country land route from Dubai, aims to aid 50,000 patients. The conflict has caused mass displacement and damaged healthcare infrastructure.
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On Friday, March 20, 2026, a drone strike hit El-Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur, Sudan, killing at least 64 people including 13 children, two nurses, and a doctor, and injuring 89 others. The hospital is now non-functional, worsening the humanitarian crisis amid nearly three years of conflict between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.