The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that a lack of fuel, staff, and supplies had left northern Gaza without a functioning hospital.
According to the WHO, just nine out of 36 health facilities in Gaza were partially operational. All of these amenities are situated to the south of the enclave.
WHO representative in Gaza, Richard Peeperkorn, stated, “There are no functional hospitals left in the north”.
“Al-Ahli (Hospital) was the last one but it is now minimally functional: still treating patients but not admitting new ones”, Peeperkorn continued.
Peeperkorn described Al-Ahli as a ‘shell of a hospital’ that provided extremely minimal services.
With few resources, he said, about 10 staff, all junior doctors and nurses, continue to give basic first aid, pain management, and wound care.
Peeperkorn went on to say, “Until two days ago, it was the only hospital where injured people could get surgery in northern Gaza and that was overwhelmed with patients needing emergency care”.
“There are no operating theatres anymore due to the lack of fuel, power, medical supplies, and health workers, including surgeons and other specialists”, Peeperkorn added.
“The bodies of victims from recent Israeli attacks were lined up in the hospital’s courtyard because they could not be given safe and dignified burials”, Peeperkorn explained.
Other than Al-Ahli Hospital, northern Gaza had only three barely functioning health facilities: Al-Shifa, Al Awda, and Al Sahaba hospitals, which Peeperkorn stated housed thousands of displaced people.
“Some patients at Al-Ahli had been waiting for surgeries for weeks, they were at risk of infection due to lack of antibiotics and other medicines”, Peeperkorn noted.
“All these patients cannot move and need to be transferred urgently to have a chance to survive”, Peeperkorn added, repeating the WHO’s request for a humanitarian truce.
Peeperkorn further stated, “This is needed now to reinforce and restock remaining health facilities, deliver medical services needed by thousands of injured people and those needing other essential care, and, above all, to stop the bloodshed and death”.
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