Gaza's health system on the brink of collapse

teleSUR English

Gaza hospitals are in danger of shutting down due to the lack of fuel and the constant flow of injured Palestinians. teleSUR  Visit our website: https://www.telesurenglish.net/ Watch our videos here: https://videos.telesurenglish.net/en

Transcript

00:00 Now let's go to Palestine with our correspondent Huda Heghazi who is at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs

00:05 Hospital in Deir al-Bala, Governorate, one of the few health centres available in Gaza.

00:10 I am at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Bala, Governorate, in the centre of the

00:18 Gaza Strip, one of the few hospitals that are still operating in the entire Gaza Strip.

00:23 We could say that it is the only hospital that is still operating in the centre and

00:29 in the entire southern zone in general because according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health,

00:34 the health system in the Gaza Strip is on the verge of collapse due to the closure of

00:39 the crossings that has been in effect for more than seven consecutive days.

00:52 Since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in Rafa, the Kerem Shalom and Rafa

00:56 Crossings have been completely closed and there is no entry of fuel, medical supplies

01:00 or humanitarian aid.

01:02 Therefore, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the hospitals in the Gaza Strip

01:06 are in danger of ceasing to function.

01:09 Even today, the European Hospital, which was the central hospital in the south, located

01:14 between Rafa and Kantounis, was closed because it ran out of fuel.

01:26 And this hospital, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, is in danger because if they don't get fuel

01:32 in 48 hours, this hospital could shut down.

01:36 And therefore, all the patients, all the wounded, would be in a high-risk situation.

01:40 Not only patients wounded by Israeli shelling, but also patients with chronic diseases such

01:45 as those with kidney failure, with cardiovascular diseases, as well as babies in incubators.

01:51 Hence, all these people, all these patients, need this electric power, they need this fuel,

01:57 for these devices to which they are connected to work, and therefore, they are all threatened

02:02 with death.

02:04 We will now speak with the spokesman for the security at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Dr.

02:13 Khaled Dikram.

02:14 Tell us a little bit more about the situation of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in light of this

02:19 fuel crisis that the health sector is facing in Gaza.

02:24 Hello, doctor.

02:25 Please comment on the situation of the hospital in this crisis caused by the closure of the

02:30 crossings.

02:31 About a week ago, the occupation army closed the Rafah crossing and prevented the entry

02:40 of aid, including fuel.

02:42 The absence of this fuel in the hospital can threaten the lives of many sick and injured.

02:56 In the past, we called on this fuel in the hospital, and we were using the reserve.

03:02 We already consumed the last part that we have left, which does not last more than 48

03:11 hours.

03:18 When it's run out, many patients will be in danger of death, and especially those in

03:22 intensive care, newborns in the incubators, those in surgery, and the renal patients.

03:39 As we can see, the fuel that this hospital has right now is only enough for about 48

03:43 hours, and in case the borders remain closed.

03:47 If there is no entry of fuel and medical supplies, this hospital will be in danger of collapsing.

03:53 It will be in danger of closing, thus harming the wounded who come to this hospital because

03:58 of the Israeli bombings and all the patients who need treatment and cannot find it.

04:04 Therefore, the message is that the international community must put pressure on Israel to open

04:09 the borders and allow the entry of medical supplies.

Category

Transcript

Recommended