The United Nations has announced that the ongoing war in the Middle East has forced the World Health Organisation (WHO) to suspend operations at its global emergency logistics hub in Dubai.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, disclosed that activities at the facility have been put on hold due to the deteriorating security situation in the region. He warned that the impact of the conflict, which began following US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday, “goes beyond the immediately affected countries.”
According to the UN health agency, the Dubai hub plays a critical role in global emergency response by shipping medicines and medical supplies to countries facing crises. Last year alone, the centre processed more than 500 emergency orders for about 75 countries worldwide.
WHO officials also warned that the disruption threatens humanitarian health supply chains, with millions of dollars worth of medical supplies currently unable to move due to airspace closures and restrictions affecting access to the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency said the suspension could affect emergency health responses in several countries that rely on supplies dispatched from the Dubai logistics hub.
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