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Gaza’s medical sector suffers Israeli sanctions, restrictions
Thursday, December 6, 2007 :JERUSALEM/GAZA, 5 December (IRIN) - Health officials in the Gaza Strip say they are concerned about hundreds of patients unable to travel to Israel or other countries for vital treatment, and that local hospitals lack essential medical equipment, drugs and fuel. Only about one in seven patients who used to travel through the Rafah terminal to Egypt for treatment are now able to access medical care in Israel, according to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics.
Since June, when Hamas took over in Gaza, 17 percent of all patients who applied for permits to enter Israel were denied entry, mostly on "security grounds." In October the figure rose to 23 percent.
"There is a trend that it is getting tougher to get out of Gaza for treatment," said Mahmoud Daher of the WHO in Gaza.
Following the Hamas takeover, tight Israeli sanctions were placed on all travel to and from the strip, in addition to restrictions on imports and a near total ban on exports.
"The cases of patients waiting for treatment will just get more difficult," Bassam al-Badri of the referral department at the ministry of health in Gaza, told IRIN. "Some of them will have to have unnecessary amputations. Already some people are in the intensive care unit because they didn't get treated."
At least 13 people who completed the permit application process died in the past two months waiting for treatment, according to health organizations. Another 15 or so died while still applying, according to the Gaza ministry of health.
"There is a trend that it is getting tougher to get out of Gaza for treatment," said Mahmoud Daher of the WHO in Gaza.
Following the Hamas takeover, tight Israeli sanctions were placed on all travel to and from the strip, in addition to restrictions on imports and a near total ban on exports.
"The cases of patients waiting for treatment will just get more difficult," Bassam al-Badri of the referral department at the ministry of health in Gaza, told IRIN. "Some of them will have to have unnecessary amputations. Already some people are in the intensive care unit because they didn't get treated."
At least 13 people who completed the permit application process died in the past two months waiting for treatment, according to health organizations. Another 15 or so died while still applying, according to the Gaza ministry of health.
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Thu, Dec 6, 2007 1:37PM
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