Life on the frontline: A glimpse of Health Cluster coordination in Gaza

Weekly Health Cluster in-person meetings

Andrea was deployed to Gaza in December 2023 as the sub-national Cluster Coordinator to help coordinate the humanitarian response amid renewed violence. The deployment came following the Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator’s called for international cluster coordinators to strengthen the emergency response. Andrea's Terms of Reference detailed standard Health Cluster Coordinator responsibilities.

Displaced family

Settling into the WHO accommodation in Rafah, the realities of the crisis became apparent. From her window, the view across the street was that of a displaced family living in a tent against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. The view was a reminder of the immense challenges that Gaza’s two million residents were facing, with well over half of the population being forced to leave their homes due to repeated conflicts over the years.

Congested streets of Rafah

The daily commute to in the Joint Humanitarian Operations Centre (JHOC) in Tal Al Sultan in Rafah Gaza was usually chaotic. Andrea and other colleagues had to inch their vehicle through Rafah’s cramped and congested roads to reach the JHOC, navigating people on the move carrying jerrycans of water or other materials for shelter, herding cattle, donkey carts piled high with families, mattresses and other household belongings, and livestock.    

Briefings at the Joint Humanitarian Operations Centre

At the JHOC, the daily morning briefings presented a sobering picture of the human toll taken by the conflict. Each day brought fresh challenges and obstacles, with poor internet connectivity further hampering remote coordination. Meetings at the joint operations centre were attended by the few health partners who could operate in Gaza. Despite the difficult conditions, the local staff demonstrated remarkable resilience in continuing their life-saving work, even while grappling with their personal hardships. However, the daily stresses took a toll on even the strongest individuals.

A medical point

During a visit to an UNRWA designated emergency shelter (Al Taef boys prep school) in Rafah housing over 5,000 families Andrea met a young woman who brought her child to visit the doctor at the medical point.

The woman –a mother of 10 children- had been living at the shelter for two months. She said she was hungry, she was cold, and she was scared. A reality for thousands living in Gaza.

The medical point had two doctors and one nurse conducting an average of 153 medical consultations a day in December 2023.

Housing at Al Taef boys prep school

In a school room that houses between 40-50 women and children, Andrea spoke to a grandmother who slept on the floor with other family members during the night.

The shelter was very crowded when people returned and squeezed into any space available in the school rooms or on the staircases.

Male members of the family lived in tents outside the school building.

UNRWA, a Health Cluster partner that provides the majority of primary health services, also manages the shelter. Everyone living in the shelter had access to these services. 

UNWRA pharmacist at work

Local and International NGOs, driven by a shared commitment, work tirelessly to attend to people at the doors of the Primary Health centre that opens at 8 a.m. Approximately 42 health partners, including national NGOs, International NGOs, and UN agencies, directly implement health services in the most adverse conditions and obstructive operational environments. With the constant stream of people moving south into Rafah after multiple displacements, there is plenty of work to be done by partners to provide health services. 

A doctor provides services to women

Local NGO staff in the Gaza Strip are in urgent need of support which includes fuel, medical supplies, vaccines, food, and water. The role of these NGOs is critical in maintaining access to health services to the extent possible as the conflict evolves across the Gaza Strip. Healthcare workers face enormous challenges with being displaced multiple times, securing shelter and food for their families while attending clinics and delivering life-saving health care. International NGOs who previously worked in Gaza are advancing efforts to scale up their services to provide an expanded package of primary and, in some cases, secondary health services.

Visting shelters

With health services in Gaza struggling to cope with the persistent degradation, Andrea's top priority was to bring together different organizations to address the gaps in primary healthcare. She chaired regular meetings with national and international NGOs, UN agencies and the health authorities to update the partnership as a whole on priorities, needs, and gaps in health service delivery. Andrea also worked on mapping the services available on the ground using an online survey and follow-up contacts to identify their locations and the types of support they provide.

Children at a medical point

Andrea’s close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partner organizations was crucial in finalizing an expanded primary healthcare package to relieve the pressure on hospitals by improving access to essential health services. Despite the challenges posed by the active conflict, Andrea's determined relationship-building helped to coordinate aid efforts and better organize the emergency response for Gaza's most vulnerable populations.