GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing a critical shortage of medications and an alarming spread of epidemics, as reported today by the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. The organization warns that the ongoing Israeli raids on Gaza have resulted in a situation where the lack of essential medical supplies has become a death sentence for thousands of people.
Testimonies from medical officials and pharmacy owners in the Gaza Strip have highlighted the increasing suffering of patients due to the severe shortage of medications, painkillers, and other crucial supplies. Patients, including children and those with chronic diseases, are struggling to find adequate treatment and care, which is exacerbating their health conditions.
Amid the shortage of medical supplies, testimonies revealed harrowing incidents such as the multiplication of worms in a patient’s wounds due to a lack of sterilizers, and untreated shrapnel injuries leading to severe infections. The dire situation also extends to pregnant women, as the absence of blood-thinning medications has led to miscarriages.
The report from Euro-Med Monitor also highlighted the limited medical assistance reaching Gaza, primarily consisting of drugs for medical surgeries, but lacking medications for chronic illnesses and other medical conditions. The severe shortage of vaccine stocks is contributing to thousands of cases of infectious diseases in displaced person centers.
This crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of a healthcare system overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients, with only nine out of 36 hospitals and 18 out of 72 healthcare centers currently operating. The average bed occupancy rate in these hospitals is 350 percent, and the situation is further compounded by a lack of medical personnel, particularly neurosurgeons, specialized surgeons, and intensive care nurses.
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has called for urgent humanitarian ceasefire to protect and replenish the remaining medical facilities in the Gaza Strip. The organization has also urged the international community, particularly those who have endorsed the Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to take decisive action to halt the crisis and hold those involved accountable.
The dire lack of medications and medical supplies in the Gaza Strip has put tens of thousands of patients at risk, as they struggle to receive the necessary care and treatment. The situation in Gaza underscores the urgent need for immediate intervention to save lives and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population.