The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip warned on Sunday that a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies has led to patient deaths, amid a rapidly deteriorating health situation and a continued lack of essential medical supplies.
Dr. Munir al-Barsh, Director General of the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, told the Palestinian news agency Sanad that hospitals are experiencing an unprecedented shortage of medicines and medical supplies, which has caused the deaths of a number of patients. He added that deaths are being recorded repeatedly due to the ongoing shortage of life-saving medical materials.
He explained that supplies for dialysis and cancer treatment are almost nonexistent, along with a severe shortage of laboratory testing supplies, which negatively impacts the ability of medical staff to diagnose and treat patients.
He added that the health sector is also suffering from a significant shortage of medicines and equipment for radiology and MRI scans, considering that the health situation in the Strip is creating an environment that leads to patient deaths instead of treatment.
He pointed out that preventing the entry of medicines and medical supplies is part of a policy aimed at depriving patients of treatment, noting that children are paying the price for this amid hunger and medicine shortages.
Al-Barsh explained that the Israeli occupation authorities allow only about 25 patients to leave the Gaza Strip daily for treatment, despite the existence of approximately 20,000 patients with medical referrals who need to travel to receive treatment.
Al-Barsh stressed that the continued targeting of civilians, obstructing the entry of medical and humanitarian supplies, and preventing patients from accessing treatment, exacerbates the humanitarian and health catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, and threatens to collapse what remains of the health system’s ability to provide medical services.
