Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is donating medical supplies to hospitals and health facilities in Gaza to respond to medical needs in the midst of the conflict that began yesterday.
“Health facilities need this equipment because of the many injured patients,” said Ayman Al-Djaroucha, MSF deputy coordinator in Gaza. “Hospitals are overcrowded with injured people, there is a shortage of drugs and consumables and a shortage of fuel for generators.”
One challenge medical staff face in Gaza at the moment is the lack of a safe option to move patients to health facilities. “Ambulances can’t be used right now because they’re being hit by airstrikes,” said Darwin Diaz, medical coordinator for MSF in Gaza.
MSF asks all parties to respect the sanctity of medical facilities, vehicles and personnel.
Our teams have been providing surgical and inpatient care in Al-Awda hospital since yesterday, in the enclave’s north. Our bed capacity there was upgraded to its maximum of 26 beds in preparation for a high influx of expected patients.
“Stable patients are referred to us and we take care of them,” said Jean Pierre, MSF medical activity manager in Gaza. “It’s all been gunshots wounds and injuries from shrapnel, spread at random on the upper and lower limbs.”
Authorities reported over 2,200 injuries and over 300 deaths including 20 children in Gaza at the moment. In Israel, over 600 have died and over 2,000 are reported injured at the moment.
About MSF in Palestine
MSF has been running medical programs in Gaza for more than 20 years, supporting a health care system that urgently lacks both medical personnel and supplies. Our teams work in three hospitals and several outpatient clinics, offering comprehensive care for people suffering from burns and trauma. Since 2018, MSF has been running a reconstructive surgery program in northern Gaza. We also operate several medical programs in the West Bank.
MSF does not run medical programs in Israel, which has strong emergency and health services. Since we currently only run programs in Palestine, our reporting is rooted in the direct witnessing of our patients and staff on the ground there. As an independent, impartial humanitarian organization, we call on all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of civilians and medical facilities.
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