UNITED NATIONS, Safar 1, 1437, November 13, 2015, SPA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that providing healthcare across Syria has become nearly impossible, especially for the 1.7 million people living in areas controlled by Islamic State (ISIL) "Access is the principal concern,” Elizabeth Hoff, WHO representative in Syria, told reporters. “Operating in a conflict like Syria is almost an impossible situation in very many hot areas." As she expected, Hoff said that ISIL-controlled areas pose the greatest difficulties, citing recent estimates that 1.7 million people were living in the territory held by the group. The WHO does not have contact with ISIL, but Hoff said that the organization does work with doctors based in areas under its control, who have relayed messages from the militants.We have actually transported medicine in, but not in large quantities,” Hoff said, referring to ISIL territory. The toll of injured nationwide is rising by roughly 25,000 each month, the WHO official said, adding that it was impossible to break down that figure between combatants and civilians. According to Hoff, of the 113 fully operational hospitals in Syria before the conflict began in 2011, 58 percent are now closed or functioning at a diminished capacity. She added that those that are functioning face limited electricity supply and enormous staffing problems, as many of Syria’s medical professionals have fled the country. --SPA 21:16 LOCAL TIME 18:16 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w