Gaza, MINA – Medical sources have reported that the few hospitals still operating in the Gaza Strip are on the verge of shutting down due to severe overcrowding in inpatient wards, intensive care units, and emergency departments.
According to a WAFA report on Wednesday, the situation has been worsened by a sharp rise in critical cases that have exceeded the hospitals’ capacity.
Medical sources said only 45 operating rooms out of a total of 312 are currently functional, with limited capacity a situation that prevents urgent and complex surgeries from being performed.
“Additionally, hospitals are facing a severe shortage of medications and medical supplies, which is especially affecting services for cancer and heart disease patients,” WAFA reported.
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A total of 47% of essential medications have been completely depleted, while the shortage of medical supplies has reached 65%. The situation is further compounded by the fact that only 9 out of 34 oxygen stations are still partially operational, making it impossible to meet the needs of hospitals.
Patients have also been barred from traveling for medical treatment, with 338 cancer patients dying while awaiting referral. Meanwhile, 11,000 others have been denied treatment after specialized centers was destroyed and they were prevented from leaving the Gaza Strip.
The crisis has also impacted kidney disease patients, with 41% of them having died due to a lack of care. Patients in northern Gaza are suffering from a dire shortage of medical services after hospitals in the area were destroyed.
Medical sources also reported a critical shortage of units at blood banks, while community donation drives have been rendered ineffective by the widespread prevalence of anemia and malnutrition, especially among children and infants.
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The health situation in Gaza has become increasingly alarming, with over 59,000 cases of bloody diarrhea recorded since the beginning of this year, alongside 254,000 respiratory illnesses and 337 cases of meningitis. Chronic disease patients are also suffering from a lack of medical follow-up and treatment, putting their lives at risk from serious complications. [Nia]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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