Gaza: Thirty-seven percent of essential medicines and 59 percent of medical supplies are out of stock in Gaza, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip revealed on Monday.
According to Jordan News Agency, the statement was issued on World Health Day, highlighting “serious and catastrophic repercussions” for the already deteriorating health and humanitarian situation in the region. The Ministry noted that 54 percent of medications for cancer and blood diseases, 40 percent of primary care medications, and 51 percent of maternal and child health supplies are currently unavailable.
The report emphasized the critical shortage of medications for operating rooms, intensive care units, and emergency departments due to ongoing hostilities. Vital hospital departments that depend on generators face the risk of shutting down as a result of a shortage of fuel and spare parts, many of which have been destroyed.
The Ministry also warned that efforts to combat a polio epidemic, ongoing for the past seven months, are faltering due to restrictions on vaccine imports, with 42 percent of childhood vaccines currently unavailable in Gaza. Patients are being denied access to diagnostic imaging services because of the destruction of CT and MRI equipment. Furthermore, around 13,000 patients are unable to receive specialized treatment outside of Gaza due to the closure of the Rafah crossing.
These developments are placing an immense strain on healthcare providers, the Ministry stated, urging action to alleviate the pressures on healthcare, which has been repeatedly targeted. It called for the provision of essential medical supplies to enable healthcare workers to care for the sick and wounded.