Dr.Abu Al-Rish: The health sector needs real support in line with health needs to enhance health services and overcome challenges
During the opening activities of the Health Work Group exhibition, which includes about 35 international, local and international institutions that provide health services to citizens, the Deputy Ministery of Health, Dr. Youssef Abu Al-Rish said that the health sector needs real support in line with health needs to enhance health services and overcome challenges.
The exhibition was held to review the services provided by health institutions and the challenges they face, was held inside the Al-Mashtal Hotel, west of Gaza City, holding the title “Teamwork for Better Health”.
Dr. Abu Al-Rish added, “The health system was able to remain resilient in light of the great challenges, holding the Israeli occupation primarily responsible for what the health sector is exposed to”.
In the same context, Abu Al-Rish indicated that there is a significant decline in what has been allocated by the United Nations according to its humanitarian response plan in the Palestinian territories, which amounted to $510 million as an urgent intervention, adding: What has been achieved for the health sector does not exceed 20% of its needs, and that About 74% of the amount was allocated to the Gaza Strip.
He continued: The needs of the health sector, such as nutrition and health, are equal to about 50%, adding: “We can imagine how big the gap is in what has been achieved and what is required.”
He stated that what was allocated for 2020-2021 is $18 million to the Ministry of Health, while this year witnessed a significant decline, as 6 million dollars were allocated.
Adding: “This applies to all health service providers, which puts us in front of real reviews of our procedures that we are taking”.
He stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation between all supporters of the health sector, and maximizing the use of limited resources, praising the role of everyone who stood by the Ministry of Health and provided it with support or service projects.
Meanwhile, WHO representative Dr. Richard Peppercorn stated that the repeated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, increase the challenges facing the Ministry of Health.
The Corona crisis, and the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, have created new and more needs to be covered, Peppercorn added
He stated that the war between Russia and Ukraine affected the donors’ support for the Palestinian territories, calling on the Health Working Group to coordinate and cooperate to provide the largest possible support to the Ministry of Health in light of the widening gap and the many challenges it faces.
The attendees moved between the corners of the exhibition, listening to the hardship faced by the health institutions operating in the sector, the services they provide, and the problem of lack of funding, which would limit their work.
Director General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Haj, explained that the aim of holding the exhibition is to gather non-governmental health service providers and international support institutions in the strip, to present their activities and services over the previous periods.
Dr. Al-Hajj revealed that there is a significant decline in international health funding provided to health services, as a result, the decline in the drug balance reached more than 75% of the Ministry of Health storage, and about 26% of medical consumables, in addition to the occupation denying the entrance of new devices or maintenance spare parts.
The Director of International Cooperation appealed to international institutions to intensify and increase their support for the health sector, both governmental and non-governmental, “because it bears the greatest burden in alleviating the suffering of citizens, stressing “there is no refuge for citizens in Gaza because of their poor economic conditions except to receive free services provided by the Ministry of Health or institutions.”