The Director General of the Gaza Health Ministry: The lives of thousands of patients are hanging in the balance due to lack of medicine and destruction of hospitals

The Director General of the Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Munir Al-Barsh, warned that the lives of thousands of patients in Gaza are hanging in the balance, amid shortages of medicine, destruction of hospitals, and absence of doctors.

Al-Barsh stated that the Palestinian citizen in the Gaza Strip is suffering from another hidden war, which is the shortage of medicine, noting that the medicine catastrophe is reflected in the numbers, as there are more than 80,000 diabetic patients at risk of relapses due to the unavailability of diabetes medications.

He mentioned that more than 5,100 hypertension patients are threatened with fatal clots due to the unavailability of basic services such as cardiac catheterization and open-heart surgery.

Moreover, about 2,000 cancer patients face the risk of death due to the absence of medications and treatment protocols, and about 45,000 heart patients are threatened with heart crises, in addition to 1,100 kidney patients needing regular dialysis, and more than 24,000 psychiatric patients without medications, as Al-Barsh confirms.

The Director General of the Health Ministry in Gaza listed the missing medicines in Gaza, which include antibiotics, fever reducers, and sterile gauze for wounds, in addition to other medicines and supplies that the occupation prevents from entering.

Figures from the World Health Organization indicate the death of 1,092 patients awaiting medical evacuation during the past months in Gaza, and confirm that 50% of the sector's hospitals are operating partially.

Al-Barsh affirmed that the Israeli occupation has prevented the entry of medicines into Gaza since October 2023, and only allows the entry of small quantities not exceeding 10% of urgent needs, and has divided the sector and destroyed 324 licensed pharmacies and 128 drug companies and warehouses.