On World Health Day, Gaza doctors warn: The health situation is tragic

The number of patients is increasing, skin and respiratory diseases are spreading in the Gaza Strip, and the ability to treat chronic diseases and cancer patients is declining, many of whom face the risk of slow death due to the lack of medicines and medical supplies.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,800 health facilities were completely or partially destroyed during the war.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that only about 42% of health facilities in the Gaza Strip are currently operating, and most of them provide only partial services, at a time when restrictions hinder the entry of equipment and materials necessary to rehabilitate the health system.

“The health situation is tragic”

Inside Al-Shifa Medical Complex, one of the largest hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the effects of war appear to be present in every corner, from the destruction of buildings and infrastructure, to the decline in operational capacity in light of the lack of electricity, equipment, and medicines.

Dr. Hassan Al-Shaer, Medical Director of Al-Shifa Complex, says that the health crisis is no longer limited to receiving the injured and wounded, but rather has affected various medical specialties, most notably the treatment of cancer patients.

Al-Shaer added that the available cancer drugs cover only a small percentage of the actual need, explaining that “Medicines are very scarce, and do not exceed 15% of the total medications these patients need.”

He also warned of the worsening environmental and health threats associated with the accumulation of rubble and garbage in Gaza City, noting the beginning of the emergence of additional problems, including the spread of rodents, and the accompanying new health risks.

Alternative medical points offer a minimum

With a large number of health facilities out of service or operating at limited capacity, some schools and shelter centers have turned into alternative medical points that provide the minimum level of health care to the displaced and residents.

In one of the schools affiliated with the Palestine Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – UNRWAToday, it is used as a shelter center and a medical clinic at the same time. Patients line up daily to obtain primary treatment services, in a scene that reflects the depth of the crisis that the health sector is going through.

Mahmoud Al-Najjar, an elderly man from the Beach Camp, west of Gaza City, says that he is forced to visit this medical point almost daily because he suffers from chronic diseases, in light of the hospitals’ malfunction or inability to provide the necessary treatment.

He added that the services available do not go beyond first aid or some simple painkillers, stressing that patients cannot find the medications they need, not even the minimum requirements for treatment or anesthesia.

Increased pressure and limited capabilities

The suffering of patients does not seem separate from the suffering of the medical staff themselves, who continue to work under mounting pressure and with very limited capabilities.

Al-Hakim Khaled Siam, who works at a medical point inside one of the UNRWA displacement centers, says that the center receives between 150 and 200 cases daily, at a time when there are only a very small number of workers available.

He explained that stress is not only related to direct injuries, but also includes diseases spread among the population, most notably skin and respiratory diseases, which require continuous follow-up and treatment, in the absence of hospitals and adequate medical equipment.

He added that the crews are trying to adapt to what is available and provide medical service with the minimum possible, but the extent of the need far exceeds the ability to respond.

Recovery is elusive

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire months ago, the health system in Gaza is still far from any actual recovery, with continued restrictions on the entry of medical equipment and rehabilitation materials, and enormous pressure on the remaining functioning facilities.

And at a time when the world salutes World Health Day On April 7 – Emphasizing the importance of providing care and justice in the field of health, the residents of Gaza find themselves facing a different reality, where access to treatment turns into a daily battle, in a health sector exhausted by war and the truce did not give it a real opportunity to recover.