Ref: 99/2007
Date: 20 August 2007
Time: 13:00 GMT
Do Not Punish Patients!
PCHR Warns of Further Deterioration to Health Services in the Gaza Strip
PCHR is gravely concerned over a decision taken by the Union of Medical Professions in the Gaza Strip to partially suspend work at public health institutions, allegedly in protest to the policy of vocational exclusion practiced by the dismissed government in Gaza against their employees, which will impact the already deteriorated health services. PCHR calls upon all parties to abstain from politicizing unionist activities in the context of the conflict of authorities between the governments of Ramallah and Gaza, which leaves disastrous impacts on the health and lives of the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip. The civilian population have been deprived of minimum health services due to the deterioration in health services and the cutting off of electricity supplies form half the population in the Gaza Strip, which has forced the majority of health institutions to minimize their services to the lowest level.
Since Monday morning, 20 August 2007, the Union of Medical Professions has partially suspended work at all public health institutions and called upon all employees to work from 08:00 to 11:00 only and then suspend work until 15:00, in protest to what the union calls the decisions of exclusion taken against employees by the dismissed government in Gaza. PCHR staff members have noticed that at least 80% have not committed to this decision and have continued their work after 11, especially at major hospitals and medical centers. The majority of those who have suspended work are physicians. Nevertheless, there are concerns of an imminent disaster that may afflict the health sector if the decision taken by the union was fully implemented.
PCHR calls upon all parties to neutralize basic services of the civilian population, especially health, environmental, education and social ones, from the political and authority conflict, and reiterates that:
1. The call for suspending work at health institutions will lead to further deterioration in health conditions, which may cause a total collapse of the sector of public health services, and negatively impact the enjoyment of the Palestinian civilian population of appropriate physical and mental health services.
2. The total closure imposed by Israeli Occupation Forces has caused scores of deaths among patients and has led to further deterioration in health conditions of thousands of people due to the halted flow of food, medicines and medical supplies.
3. Stopping the operation of Gaza electricity generation plant due to the lack of fuel may force many health institutions to stop providing services to people due to the lack of electricity, which in necessary to operate medical equipment and keep medicines and blood units.
4. PCHR calls for stopping any practices that may lead to further deterioration to health services, which have already deteriorated to an unprecedented level due to the international economic boycott and the total siege imposed by Israeli Occupation Forces on the Gaza Strip.
