Palestinian Ministry of Health, MER-C Discuss Medical Crisis in Gaza

Jakarta, MINA – The Director General Palestinian Foreign Cooperation Ministry of Health, Dr. Ashraf A. Abu Mhadi warned the fatal consequences of the number of health care units due to the ongoing electricity crisis and the supply of medicines in Gaza.

“The current condition of patients has been even more alarmed since the situation of the blockade that surrounded the life of Palestinans in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the emergency services for the victims of the Great March Return action has beeb continuing until this day, “said Abu Mhadi in the meeting with the Insonesian Humanitarian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) team at the headquarters, Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday (Jan 20).

At the meeting, he discussed about the construction of the second stage of the Indonesia Hospital in Palestine with Ir. Faried Thalib and Dr. Arief Rahman as the Presidium of MER-C, the Chairman of MER-C Construction Division Dr. Idrus M Alatas, Head of the Indonesian Hospital Medical Devices Team Dr. Ahyahudin Sodri, Indonesian Hospital Architect Ir. Rizal Syarifudin, Chair of MER-C Fundraising Division Larissa Agiel, and Operations Manager of MER-C Rima Manzanaris.

He also appealed to all parties, especially humanitarian institutions to find solutions and help as soon as possible in the procurement of electricity and medicines in Gaza.

According to the Palestinan Ministry of Health, Gaza hospitals need 450 thousand liters of diesel fuel per month to operate 87 electric generators for health services.

If the electricity crisis continues, then the health services in hospitals throughout Gaza are in danger, as well as around 50 medical laboratory rooms and 10 blood storage banks are not operated.

This situation is getting more serious and in a number of places, health services are really starting to stop due to the decrease of fuel supply.

In addition, Abu Mhadi continued, the Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the supply of medicines is getting thinner. Hospitals in Gaza now desperately need help from drugs such as, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, gauze, and plaster.

“Aid for medicines is very much needed considering that almost every day the number of victims is increasing,” he said.

Great Return March have held every Friday and Monday since March 30, 2018 has been running until now.

Ten of thousands of unarmed Palestinians held protests by gathering on the Gaza border to break through the fence.

(T/Sj/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)