PALESTINE HEALTH MINISTRY: 30 PERCENT OF MEDICINES OUT OF STOCK

Gaza, 24 Safar 1436/17 December 2014 (MINA) – The Health Ministry in Gaza Strip called upon its minister Dr. Jawad Awad to work on solving the health crisis in the Strip before it is too late in light of the acute shortage of 30% of medicines and 50% of medical disposables in Gaza health services.

Spokesman for the ministry Ashraf Qudra told a press conference on Tuesday that the continued strike of the cleaning companies has prevented 2800 patients from undergoing medical surgeries, and deprived 42,000 others from outpatient clinics services.

“The strike crisis threatens the lives of 113 premature babies in incubators, 100 intensive care unit patients, 500 kidney failure patients, and dozens of people who suffer heart diseases,” he said, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The spokesman called on the Egyptian authorities to open the Rafah crossing in both directions for patients and medical aid convoys in light of the deteriorating health condition in Gaza Strip.

He hailed the Palestinian civil society and youth activists’ voluntary contribution in cleaning Gaza’s health services, pointing out that 60% of the Strip’s health sector workers were not paid over the past six months.

The spokesman said that the state of emergency is still declared in all Gaza’s hospitals and health services.(T/P008/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)