ISLAMABAD: Healthcare professionals across the country observed Gaza Solidarity Day on Monday to mark first anniversary of Israeli aggression on Gaza.

At 12 noon, doctors and healthcare workers gathered outside their clinics and hospitals, holding Palestinian flags and banners in a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza, particularly the healthcare workers who continue to serve under dire conditions.

The day was observed on the appeal by the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) President Prof Dr Atif Hafeez Siddiqui and major events were held in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

In his statement, Prof Dr Atif Hafeez Siddiqui emphasised the importance of this gesture, calling it an expression of support for the people of Gaza, especially the healthcare staff who remain dedicated to their mission despite facing severe hardships.

He also highlighted the devastating state of the healthcare system in Gaza, which has been systematically and permanently targeted.

“As a result, more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip have been deprived of basic health services. In addition, there are more than 50,000 pregnant women who are unable to access health services and maternity care. One year after the genocide in Gaza, 25,000 patients and injured are in urgent need of treatment abroad, along with 12,500 cancer patients whose lives are at risk and who require immediate care,” he said.

“The situation is further compounded by the tragic loss of 986 healthcare workers who have been martyred while serving under these dangerous conditions. Despite these overwhelming challenges, doctors and paramedical staff in Gaza continue to provide care, often risking their own lives,” he said.

PIMA calls for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza to end the ongoing suffering of its people and to halt the destruction of the region.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024