Ref: 139/2011

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses concern
over the extreme shortage of medicines in the Gaza Strip hospitals.  PCHR
warns of the potential catastrophic repercussions on the health of the Gaza
Strip population, especially patients who suffer from renal failure due to the
shortage in blood filters used in dialyses. 
PCHR is concerned that the lack of such blood filters may stop dialyses
in the Gaza Strip hospitals, and hence endanger the lives of 450 patients.  

According to Dr. Ashraf al-Qidwa, Spokesman of the Ministry of
Health in Gaza, Dialysis filters 5 and 6, which are major consumables that
function like normal kidneys and serve to remove toxins from the blood during
dialyses. These filters are about to run out from hospitals and medical care
centers in the Gaza Strip.  According to
al-Qidwa, only 24 pieces of these consumables are available now, which does not
suffice according to the needs of 450 patients who undergo dialyses three times
a week.  This amount is only sufficient
for a weekly dialysis of the patients’ blood only.  Al-Qedra stated that if blood filters ran
out, all dialyses apparatuses in hospitals would be stopped.  He attributed the shortage in medical
consumables to the abstention of the Ministry of Health in Ramallah from
supplying the Gaza Strip’s medical needs as agreed.

PCHR has followed up the developments in the health conditions in
the Gaza Strip.  In June and December
2011, PCHR received complaints from patients concerning delayed receipt of
their medicines from health facilities in the Gaza Strip as many medicines and
medical consumables ran out.  At that
time, PCHR found out that such delay was essentially attributed to the running
out of such medicines and medical consumables as they were not regularly
supplied to the Gaza Strip, or their amounts were decreased to the minimum, by
the General Directorate of Pharmacy in Ramallah; only 20% of the Gaza Strip’s
actual needs have been supplied in 2011. 
According to PCHR’s documentation, 178 medicines and 190 medical
consumables ran out from public health facilities in the Gaza Strip, and in
December, 120 medicines and 140 consumables ran out, because they were not
supplied by the Ministry of Health in Ramallah.[1]  PCHR has warned of the impact of the shortage
of medicines on the lives of patients in the Gaza Strip, but the crisis has not
been improved and it has reemerged with the shortage of medicines necessary for
renal diseases.   

Click here to read the story of Shahinaz Khouf, a mother of six who
suffers from kidney failure and whose health is deteriorating because she
receives insufficient dialysis sessions.

PCHR expresses
utmost concern over the deterioration of health conditions of Palestinian
patients in the Gaza Strip, and:

1. Calls upon
President Mahmoud Abbas to immediately intervene with the Ministry of Health in
Ramallah to ensure the prompt flow of consignments of medicine and medical
needs to health facilities in the Gaza Strip;

2. Calls for
making necessary coordination to remove obstacles between the Ministries of
Health in Ramallah and Gaza, especially under the current atmosphere of
reconciliation;

3. Calls upon
the Ministry of Health in Ramallah to immediately supply all medicines and
medical needs that are necessary for health facilities in the Gaza Strip to
avoid further risks to the health and lives of the population of the Gaza
Strip.