HEALTH MINISTRY CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO SOLVE GAZA MEDICINAL STOCK CRISIS

Gaza, 14 Muharram 1437/27 October 2015 (MINA) – The Palestinian health ministry has reiterated its appeal to the unity government to take urgent and serious steps to address the acute shortage of medical supplies at Gaza hospitals and medical centers.

Head of the ministry’s pharmacy unit Munir al-Barsh told a news conference held in Gaza on Monday that the crisis of insufficient medicines and medical consumables has escalated since the beginning of the current year and adversely affected the health services provided in Gaza, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Barsh explained that with the failure to replenish the health sector’s medicinal stock in Gaza, the items of zero balance totaled at the end of last September 149 types of medicines and 357 disposable materials.

He stressed that the gravity of the health situation in Gaza becomes clearer when those figures are translated into medical services, especially the ones provided for cancer and kidney patients and those who need intensive care, surgeries and primary health care.

The ministry also called on international health and human rights groups to intervene to pressure the parties besieging Gaza to facilitate the movement of medical convoys and workers as well as patients at their crossings.(T/P008/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)