Minister of Health, Mai Alkaila, Tuesday warned of the consequences of rapid spread of epidemics in the Gaza Strip, describing the health conditions as catastrophic as a result of the severe shortage of health personnel, equipment, medicines, and health clinics available for shelter centers.
Alkaila said in an interview with the Malaf Al-Youm program on Palestine TV, “There are 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip, 14 of which are partially operating, 9 in the south and 5 in the north.”
She pointed out that the partial operation is not enough to meet the health needs in the Gaza Strip, and that most clinics are not working in primary health care.
Alkaila warned of the large outbreak of epidemics in the Gaza Strip, stressing the need to pay attention to providing vaccines to children.
“There are 325 shelter centers, 150 of which have one health point, and the remaining 175 centers do not have a health point,” she added
She indicated that more than 1,100 medical personnel in the Gaza Strip were killed or wounded.
The Health Minister warned of the effect of the dead bodies under the rubble, which constitutes an environmental disaster that helps spread epidemics, noting that this is due to the lack of equipment.
Alkaila deplored the decision taken by various countries to temporarily suspend approving new funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), saying this will have serious repercussions, especially in light of what Palestinian people are exposed to in the Gaza Strip.
(WAFA)
