United Nations Radio

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has warned that Palestinian refugees are facing a deteriorating health situation in the West Bank and Gaza.

In its report on health services in the Middle East launched in Geneva today, UNRWA says that it is providing social and health services as well as education to about four million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

UNRWA's Director for Health Services, Guido Sabatinelli, says although health workers are in control of communicable diseases, it is concerned about the degradation of health and the degree or risk for the refugees, especially in West Bank and Gaza.

"We are observing an increase of diabetes, hypertension, of what we call post-traumatic stress, behavioural disorder related to the violence and we have to deal with all these problems. Operational point of view also UNRWA has some difficulties."

Mr. Sabatinelli says that the global increase in prices is sometimes impeding UNRWA from providing all the necessary drugs to the refugees.

Reporting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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