Gaza: Healthcare sector on brink of collapse

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza yesterday warned that the healthcare system in the besieged Strip is on the verge of collapse due to the sever lack of electricity and fuel needed to operate generators, Quds Press reported.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said: “Today, electricity generators stopped working in three addition healthcare centres… due to the lack of fuel.”

Prior to this, he announced the shutting down of several healthcare centres in Gaza, including Beit Hanoun Hospital in the north for the same reason.

In a press conference, society leaders in Gaza highlighted the crisis hitting the healthcare sector in Gaza due to the strict Israeli siege and the punitive measures imposed by the Palestinian Authority.

Read: The Israeli-led siege is devastating Gaza’s health sector

Hussein Al-Mughanni, a community leader, called for lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza and for the PA Health Minister Jawad Awwad to visit the Gaza Strip to follow up closely on the crisis.

Last week, Awwad denied that there is a crisis in the health ministry in Gaza and said he dispatched a number of truckloads of medicines.

Gaza has been under a strict Israeli siege and PA punitive measures since mid-2007. By the mid of last year, the PA increased its punitive measures as it slashed the salaries of its employees in Gaza and cease payments to Israel for electricity provided to the Strip.

Egypt has exacerbated the siege by closing the Rafah crossing trapping Palestinians in the small enclave.