GAZA, (PIC)
Gaza’s health ministry has warned that the health sector in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has entered a stage of near‑total collapse, facing acute shortages of medicines and essential supplies.
In a statement released on Tuesday on “World Health Day,” the ministry reported that drug stocks dropped by 50 percent, medical consumables by 57 percent, and laboratory testing materials by 71 percent, severely restricting hospitals’ ability to respond to the influx of wounded and sick citizens.
The health ministry also said that cancer treatment is among the most severely affected sectors, facing a 61 percent shortage of specialty medicines despite the presence of nearly 4,100 patients requiring continuous care.
“Primary care, neurology, nephrology, surgery, and intensive care departments also suffer from shortages of essential medicines exceeding 40 percent, a situation that worsens patients’ conditions and reduces their chances of survival,” the ministry added.
According to its statement, open‑heart surgeries and cardiac catheterization procedures have been completely halted due to the lack of resources.
The statement also pointed to a severe shortage of ophthalmic surgery supplies, reaching 89 percent.
“Hospital bed capacity has fallen by more than 55 percent, with 22 hospitals and 90 health centers forced out of service due to extensive infrastructure damage,” the statement said.
“Only 108 dialysis machines remain functional to serve 676 patients, amid severe shortages of radiology services and medical equipment.”
The ministry also noted that there are 5,000 cases of amputation, including 980 children, who need long‑term rehabilitation programs.
The ministry highlighted the crisis facing patients in need of treatment outside the Gaza Strip, noting that 21,367 patients and wounded people are currently on waiting lists, including 195 critical cases.
“1,517 patients have died while waiting to travel for medical care, underscoring the grave consequences of restrictions imposed on movement and access to treatment,” the ministry added.
In a related context, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it was suspending evacuations from Gaza after a worker contracted to help them was killed on Monday, April 6.
“WHO is devastated to confirm that a person contracted to provide services to the Organization in Gaza was killed today during a security incident,” the agency’s chief Tedros Ghebreyesus posted on X.
Two staff members were present at the incident but were not injured, he said.
“Following the incident, WHO suspended today’s medical evacuation of patients from Gaza via Rafah to Egypt. Medical evacuations will remain suspended until further notice,” he added.
