Deputy Ministry of Health Dr. Yusef Abu Al-Rish called the European Union ambassadors to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation to end its blockade on the Gaza Strip once and for all.
The statement came during the EU ambassadors’ visit to the European Gaza Hospital headed by European Union Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, and in the presence of the Director of the World Health Organization, Gillard Rockenshoop.
During the meeting, Dr. Abu Al-Reesh warned of the seriousness of the health situation in Gaza due to the acute shortage of medicines, consumables, laboratory materials, and medical equipment, calling for urgent response to support the health system and meet unprecedented challenges that the health sector faces as a result of the high Covid-19 infection rate in Gaza.
At the European hospital in Rafah, Dr. Abu Al-Rish and representatives of the World Health Organization briefed the EU diplomats about the unprecedented challenges the health sector faces due to the high Covid-19 infection rate in Gaza.
The efforts exerted facing the pandemic, such as establishing policies, procedures, and protocols, doubling the production of oxygen quantities from 800 liters to more than 3000 liters, increasing the number of ICU beds, developing the caders’ capabilities, and backing the central laboratory.
The presentation also demonstrated the patients suffering due to the medicines shortage crisis, let alone the difficulty of transporting them for treatment outside the Gaza Strip.
The delegation watched a live broadcast from within the ICU departments designated for Coronavirouse patients, presenting the number of efforts exerted despite the limited capabilities.