HEALTH MINISTRY: A NUMBER OF GAZA HEALTH SERVICES SUSPENDED

Gaza City, 10 Dzulqa’dah 1436/25 August 2015 (MINA) – Gaza’s Ministry of Health raised alarm bells over an imminent health crisis, warning that hospitals could stop operating within hours if the unity government does not react at the soonest time possible.

Gaza’s European hospital suspended its services of cardiac surgery at the same time as healthcare services at the al-Shifa complex have become limited to the emergency cases only, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

A statement by the Health Ministry warned of the exacerbating crisis rocking Gaza’s healthcare system due to the unity government’s dragging of its feet as regards its allotted missions despite ongoing appeals for urgent intervention.

The ministry said services of cardiac catheterization have been trimmed down to 50% in Gaza’s European hospital and al-Shifa medical complex, adding that the al-Maqdis room for safe delivery was closed down.

The ministry stopped its afternoon services in Deir al-Balah’s center for primary care and also in al-Bureij’s.

The ministry further integrated the Beit Hanoun center for primary care in the hospital lab after authorities were forced to stop offering services.

It warned that the Shifa Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, the European Gaza Hospital, and Rantisi Hospital could stop offering services because they are about to run out of fuel.

The ministry said efforts have been underway so as to contain the crisis, holding the unity government responsible for any harm that might affect Gaza’s patients and deepen their wounds.

It appealed to all concerned parties to take up their responsibilities and urge the consensus government to work out the crisis before it is too late and without further reluctance. (T/P001/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)