Letter from the Executive Director

As we enter into the New Year, there is so much to celebrate and look forward to for the Association and the industry at large. However, I encourage us all to take time to acknowledge fellow PROs operating amid or forced out of operation due to the Israel-Hamas War and all those individuals suffering from the sanitation crisis now in effect because of the war.

Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) suspects that disease may kill more people than combat if the health system and sanitation crisis in Gaza are not addressed. As of December 28, 2023, over 100,000 cases of diarrhea were reported, with rates among children measured at 25 times higher than in normal times. It’s estimated that over half of the hospitals in Gaza are closed. Public open defecation has become the only option for some refugees, with others navigating sewage running openly in public streets. Overcrowding, winter weather, and lack of sufficient sanitation and health services are creating a perfect storm for infectious diseases. Read or listen to a report on the situation.

Please know that the service you provide daily under all kinds of conditions is seen and appreciated. You provide an essential service, even while some may not recognize it as such until it’s inaccessible.

If you have more information on the state of portable sanitation in Gaza, please share to info@psai.org.

Sincerely,

Veronica Crosier

Executive Director

PSAI