Ministry of Health in Gaza warns of life and death situation due to electricity crisis

The Deputy Minister of Health in Gaza has issued a warning about the massive problem of electricity cuts in the besieged territory. Dr. Hasan Khalaf described the cuts as a real danger to the already very difficult health conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Pointing to the fact that around 100 premature babies are kept in incubators which require a constant supply of electricity, Dr. Khalaf said that the lack of a reliable source of power makes the current crisis a matter of life and death. He appealed to local and international NGOs to do all that they can to provide fuel for emergency generators and, indeed, new generators to replace those which are worn out by being in constant use.

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Speaking to the media, the Deputy Minister also mentioned the desperate shortage of medicines on the Essential Drugs List; around 200 items on the list are either unavailable or in very short supply in Gaza at any one time due to the Israeli-led blockade.