Gaza's health sector faces deepening crises amid war

Gaza's healthcare system is grappling with a deepening crisis, exacerbated by the ongoing Israeli war that began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Beyond direct damage to hospitals from raids and strikes, Israel's control over the entry of medicines and medical supplies, as well as the departure of patients for treatment abroad, has severely worsened an already dire health situation.

The Gaza Health Ministry issued a stark warning that its remaining oxygen stations are exhausted and operating beyond their limits. Repeated breakdowns have left only 12 of the 34 oxygen stations operational, functioning under extremely difficult technical conditions. Compounding this, only four of the 30 oxygen-cylinder filling units remain functional, risking imminent failure due to a lack of spare parts for maintenance. The ministry fears a complete shutdown of these stations, which would jeopardize oxygen supplies for hospitals and home-care patients.

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Dialysis sessions are the only barrier between life and death for these patients, warning that any disruption to supplies or equipment could pose an immediate threat to hundreds of lives.

Kidney patients are facing immense pressure, with the Hind al-Daghma Dialysis Center at Nasser Medical Complex treating over 200 patients amidst acute shortages of essential supplies and equipment. Riyad Barbakh, head of the dialysis department, noted rising demand and dwindling resources, creating harsh conditions that have already contributed to patient deaths. He emphasized that dialysis sessions are critical for these patients' survival and that any supply disruption poses an immediate threat to hundreds of lives.

Cancer patients are experiencing similarly grave conditions. Mohammed Abu Nada, medical director of the Gaza Cancer Center, reported an unprecedented deterioration, with severe shortages of essential treatments and travel restrictions impacting approximately 11,000 individuals. He stated that three cancer patients are dying daily from complications, while around 4,000 patients with official referrals for overseas treatment cannot leave due to strict restrictions and closed crossings. Gaza lacks radiotherapy entirely and faces severe shortages of chemotherapy, with cancer drugs constituting 61% of all medicines in short supply. The destruction of specialized treatment centers forces difficult decisions, such as performing full mastectomies in early-stage breast cancer cases due to the unavailability of radiotherapy and the difficulty of traveling abroad.

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Cancer patients face similarly grave conditions