Paediatric units in Gaza struggle with scarce medical supplies

Footage recorded at Nasser Hospital in Gaza on Thursday reveals one of the paediatric units, as Health workers can be seen caring for the hospitalized children, while their families anxiously await their recovery.

"It's a crime similar to the crimes perpetrated every day. They are only able to fight children, elders and unarmed people. I do not know why Americans and Western countries supply Israel with lethal weapons to kill unarmed people who turned into remains. What has this child done, to be wounded?" expressed Wissam Mohammed Ghafar, a resident of Khan Younis camp.

According to local media, doctors caring for newborns in Gaza have issued a warning that 'around 130 infants' are in immediate danger of losing their lives if hospitals experience power outages.

" We have been experiencing a serious shortage of capacities in all departments and hospitals since before this war began and medical equipment and supplies are in short supply in the Ministry.," warned Mohamed Abed, Head of the Department of Paediatrics.

"However, 19 days after this attack, our stock is barely enough to cover the needs of these patients, putting their lives at risk. The lack of fuel represents another critical threat to the lives of hundreds of patients in the care departments, as it negatively affects uninterrupted electricity and we are forced to minimize mechanical fans in the unit," he added.

Dr Abed clarified that the unit primarily deals with various degrees of burns, lower extremity fractures, and leg haemorrhages, with burns being a common factor in all the cases they receive, stressing that 'all the cases have burns.'

"This unit had a capacity for four patients. Given the current situation and the serious tension suffered by other departments and hospitals in general, as well as the astonishing number of injuries among children, this care unit was provided with three more beds for capacity reached up to seven patients," he added.

The fuel shortage in Gaza is a result of the Israeli blockade that began, along with airstrikes, following Palestinians' Operation al-Aqsa Storm against Israel.on October 7.

The Gaza Health Ministry claimed that children account for 40 per cent of the more than 7,000 people who have been killed. Additionally, due to ongoing Israeli attacks and a lack of critical resources like power, water, and supplies, it is claimed that at least seven out of nearly 30 hospitals have been forced to close.

As per the World Health Organization, over 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza are unable to access vital healthcare services, and approximately 5,500 of them are expected to give birth next month.

The United Nations issued a warning on Sunday, stating that Palestinian refugees have only enough fuel to cover their essential requirements for three days.

(Source: AFP)

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