Ref: 20/2021

Date: 17 February 2021

Time: 12:14 GMT

On Wednesday, 17 February 2021, the Gaza Ministry of Health (MOH) declared Erythropoietin injections are out of stock at its warehouses. These injections are the most important type of treatment for kidney patients, especially those suffering from anemia due to kidney failure.

Dr. ‘Alaa Helles, Director General of Pharmacies at the MOH, told PCHR’s researcher that Erythropoietin injections at the MOH’s warehouses are at zero stock, while there are very limited quantities in hospitals that would not suffice the demand for more than few days. Helles emphasized that that the available quantity of these injections at the MOH warehouses normally should cover the demand for a period of  3-6 months.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Qishawi, Head of the Artificial Kidneys’ Department at Al-Shifa Hospital, said that the shortage of Erythropoietin injections will endanger the lives of 850 kidney patients, who might need blood transfusions continuously. He affirmed that these injections are important for all renal failure and dialysis patients. Qishawi added that failure to provide these injections for kidney patients may cause anemia and affect the heart and their general health. Qishawi called for supplying the Gaza MOH with these injections as quickly as possible to maintain the health and safety of 850 dialysis patients and about 500 other patients who have not reached the stage of dialysis.

PCHR warns of the serious repercussions of the shortage of Erythropoietin injections on the lives of kidney patients in the Gaza Strip and recalls that the Gaza Strip health facilities are already in a fragile state due to the 14-year long Israeli closure and the consequences of the Palestinian internal division and political conflicts. These factors combined caused the weakness of the Gaza healthcare system and a persistent shortage of basic medicines and medical devices and specialized medical personnel, making the healthcare system unable to meet the Gaza Strip’s basic health needs in regular times.

According to the MOH, its central warehouses have acute and serious shortage of the essential drugs list; as the number of drug categories at zero stock has reached 277 out of 516, with a 53% deficit rate; while the number of categories that suffice for less than 3 months has reached 67 (13%). Moreover, the central warehouses have acute shortage in the essential medical supplies list; as the number of categories at zero stock has reached 274 out of 853, with a 32.1% deficit rate, and the number of categories that suffice for less than 3 months has reached 61 (7.1%).

Fearing for the life of kidney patients in the Gaza Strip, PCHR stresses that Israel holds the primary responsibility for providing medical supplies to the Gaza Strip population in accordance with Articles 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. PCHR also calls

upon the MOH in Ramallah and Gaza to coordinate together and exert all efforts to provide medicine and medical supplies, particularly the Erythropoietin injections to spare kidney patients the serious implications of not receiving appropriate treatment.