Health facilities, health workers not legitimate target in conflict: WHO chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday stressed that health facilities and health workers are not a legitimate target in conflict, and attacks on health are a breach of international law.

"Two attacks on health facilities took place yesterday afternoon, on two separate hospitals in Aleppo governorate. Luckily, there were no casualties," he told journalists at a press briefing here.

According to WHO sources, the latest attacks bring the total number of attacks on health in Syria this year to 6, all of which have occurred in the country's northwest, resulting in 10 deaths and 30 injuries.

"In the coming days, WHO is sending essential medicine and supplies across the border from Turkey to Syria. We are sending supplies for trauma, intensive and surgical care to Idleb and Aleppo governorates, in addition to drugs for non-communicable diseases and primary health care," Tedros said.

"Although we are now devoting a lot of attention to COVID-19, WHO is still responding to many other emergencies around the world," he added.