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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element"> <font
size="-2"><a class="domain reader-domain"
href="https://imemc.org/article/pchr-calls-upon-international-community-to-assist-healthcare-system-in-gaza-strip-to-fight-coronavirus/">https://imemc.org/article/pchr-calls-upon-international-community-to-assist-healthcare-system-in-gaza-strip-to-fight-coronavirus/</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">PCHR Calls upon International Community
to Assist Healthcare System in Gaza Strip to Fight Coronavirus</h1>
March 30, 2020</div>
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<div id="post-114689">The Palestinian Centre for Human
Rights (<a href="https://www.pchrgaza.org/en/?p=14359">PCHR</a>)
is closely monitoring the health conditions in the Gaza
Strip, and the healthcare system’s preparedness to combat
the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and its possible
outbreak. PCHR confirms that the healthcare system will
not be able to deal with patients infected with the
coronavirus if the number reaches a few dozen due to its
compromised capacities necessary to treat these patients,
especially since their treatment requires medical and
laboratory equipment and special supplies and medications
that are not available in hospitals and health centers in
the Gaza Strip. This is in addition to the already fragile
healthcare system in Gaza due to the Israeli closure
policy and Palestinian internal division.
<p>According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the
Gaza Strip preparedness and capacity to face the
Coronavirus at the present time is only sufficient for
cases up to 100 or 150; however, if the cases increase,
the fragile healthcare system would be incapable of
responding to large numbers of patients. The situation
requires the intervention of UN bodies, international
and local organizations to exert all efforts and provide
the necessary equipment, devices, supplies, medicine and
medical crews.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Gaza announced in its
daily report on 28 March 2020, that the number of
confirmed coronavirus cases in the Gaza Strip is 9 while
dozens of samples are so far under laboratory testing
and their results will be published as soon as they are
ready. According to the report, MOH follows up the
health status of 1,719 of the people who had returned
from abroad at quarantine centers across the Gaza Strip,
including 983 patients who require direct healthcare in
hotels, health centers and hospitals. MOH added that the
quarantine will be extended from two weeks to three
according to the recommendations of experts due to
international reports showing the emergence of the
disease after the 2-week quarantine period ends. MOH
confirmed that it suffers from critical shortage of
drugs, medical consumables, laboratory and blood banks
supplies, and limited coronavirus testing materials,
putting MOH before complicated and unpredictable
challenges.</p>
<p>MOH officials in Gaza said to PCHR’s fieldworker that
there is acute shortage in MOH’s needs to combat the
coronavirus. Hani al-Weheidi, Director of Information
System Unit at the Ministry said that the healthcare
sector in Gaza has only 110 intensive care beds for
adults, including 78 at the MOH hospitals (Shifa 36,
European Gaza 17, al-Aqsa 10, Indonesian 9, Naser 6)
while the NGOs has 12 beds (al-Quds 7, Public Services
5, and Military Medical Services 7 at Kamal Owdan
Hospital). Moreover, the Private Sector has 13 beds:
al-Hayah hospital (8) and al-Helo Hospital (5).
According to the hospitals’ report, 72% of the intensive
care beds are occupied at the MOH hospitals, i.e. if the
coronavirus breaks out, only 22 out of 78 intensive care
beds will be available in the MOH hospitals.</p>
<p>Ninety-three ventilators are available at intensive
care units beds in the Gaza Strip, including 63 at MOH
hospitals (al-Shifa 23; European 15; al-Aqsa 9;
Indonesian 10; and Nasser 6) 9 at private hospitals
(al-Quds 5; Public Aid 4). Additionally, blood gas
analyzers are only available at 7 hospitals: al-Shifa,
Nasser, al-Quds, Kamal Odwan, Public Aid, al-Helou and
al-Hayat; and it is unavailable at 3 hospitals:
Indonesian, European and al-Aqsa.</p>
<p>Accordingly, MOH – Gaza needs to urgently equip
additional ICUs, ventilators, and testing kits; as well
as, protective gear to protect personnel, medications
and medical disposables to combat coronavirus. MOH –
Gaza has announced its immediate need for:</p>
<ul>
<li>28 types of medical disposables (emergency list A).<a
href="http://www.moh.gov.ps/file_api/assets/uploads/files/7d526-a.pdf">[1]</a></li>
<li>9 types of medications specific for treating
coronavirus (emergency list A)<a
href="http://www.moh.gov.ps/file_api/assets/uploads/files/53dc9-a.pdf">[2]</a></li>
<li>6 types of COVID-19 testing kits, and laboratory
equipment (Immediate need list A)<a
href="http://www.moh.gov.ps/file_api/assets/uploads/files/a07e7-a.pdf">[3]</a></li>
<li>Real Time PCR Systems Spectral Calibration Kit
(Immediate need list B)<a
href="http://www.moh.gov.ps/file_api/assets/uploads/files/9f658-b-.pdf">[4]</a></li>
<li>6 laboratory testing devices to enhance laboratory
capacity (Immediate need list C)<a
href="http://www.moh.gov.ps/file_api/assets/uploads/files/a506e-c-.pdf">[5]</a></li>
</ul>
<p>In light of the extreme danger threatening the Gaza
Strip’s health sector due to its limited capacities,
especially in terms of diagnostic laboratory equipment,
medications and medical disposables, PCHR:</p>
<ul>
<li>Reiterates that the primary responsibility for
providing the Gaza Strip with medical supplies lies
with Israel, and it should take all necessary and
available preventive measures to combat the spread of
infectious diseases and this pandemic, according to
Articles 55 and 56 of the 4th Geneva Convention of
1949.</li>
<li>Calls upon the international community and the World
Health Organization to pressure Israel to force it to
abide by its duties and to allow the entry of the Gaza
Strip’s medical needs, especially medical equipment
and devices necessary for COVID-19 medical
examination.</li>
<li>Calls upon the international community and
humanitarian organizations to provide aid and
assistance to the Gaza Strip’s health sector and to
endeavor to supply the needed medical equipment to
Gaza hospitals to combat the spread of coronavirus.</li>
</ul>
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