In a Month, Over 7,000 Birth Operations Recorded in Gaza

Rafah, MINA – In a month, more than 7,000 birth operations were recorded, including Sectio Caesarea operations at Al Helal Al-Emirati Hospital, Rafah. This number was discovered when the medical team from the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) was on duty at a hospital specifically designated for the care of birthing patients.

Previously, eleven MER-C volunteers managed to enter Gaza on Monday (18/3/2024). They were immediately placed and served in a number of hospitals to help Gaza residents in the south.

The MER-C team consists of a surgical team stationed at Abu Yousef Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah, a team of midwives and nurses stationed at Al-Helal Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital, and a Primary Care Team consisting of general practitioners and nurses stationed at Tall Al-Emirati. Sultan Primary Health Clinic in Rafah is quite large with facilities such as X Ray and laboratory.

In this health facility there are five polyclinics, one specialist pediatric polyclinic (SpA), two general polyclinics and two other polyclinics. There are also facilities such as an emergency room with 7 bed emergency rooms, two of which can be used as High Care Units (HCU) for the emergency room. There can be up to 1500 patients served in one day.

MER-C volunteers reported that the number of doctors, health workers, medicines and equipment was not enough so the hospital needed the help of a medical team at the next stage. The MER-C EMTs were the first Indonesian team to provide medical assistance since the October 7 attack. The team helps perform trauma patient surgery, maternal services and general services. The team will work for two weeks to a maximum of one month.

Delivery of medical team assistance requires continuity. Therefore, the Gaza Ministry of Health hopes that Indonesia can send medical team assistance on an ongoing basis to meet the needs of specialist doctors in orthopedics, traumatology, ob-gyn, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, anesthesia specialists, pediatricians, internal medicine specialists, and general practitioners as well as midwife and nurse services.

The official MER-C website reports that currently volunteers serving at An Najjar Hospital in Rafah, South Gaza, have to struggle amidst limited facilities and medicines.

There is no longer a place in the ER to treat patients. So the action had to be carried out in the chairs around the emergency room. Available beds are full.

Being one of four hospitals still functioning in South Gaza, An Najar Hospital receives 1000 to 2000 patients per day. One of the MER-C volunteers who works at the hospital said that he could suture 30-40 patients per day or even more if there was an attack.

“The most difficult challenge is because the location is limited and there are quite a lot of patients. In this room there is only one bed, which we can use for 2-3 people at once. “Medical needs are also not fully supplied, only a few points are met,” he said.

MER-C volunteers revealed that at An Najjar Hospital they treated many tired patients, several patients who experienced infections while in evacuation, fever, and injured patients. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)