Palestine: MSF performs surgeries and donates supplies in Gaza
Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is preparing a donation of medicine and medical consumables to hospitals and health facilities in Gaza today.
“Health facilities need this equipment because of the many injured patients,” said Ayman Al-Djaroucha, MSF deputy coordinator in Gaza.
“Hospitals are overcrowded with injured people, there is a shortage of drugs and consumables and a shortage of fuel for generators.”
"Ambulances hit by airstrikes"
One challenge medical staff face in Gaza at the moment is the lack of safe options to move patients to health facilities.
“Ambulances can’t be used right now because they’re being hit by airstrikes,” said Darwin Diaz, medical coordinator for MSF in Gaza.
MSF asks all parties to respect the sanctity of medical facilities, vehicles and personnel.
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Surgical and inpatient care
Teams of local MSF staff have been providing surgical and inpatient care in Al-Awda hospital since yesterday, in the enclave’s north.
Our bed capacity there was upgraded to its maximum of 26 beds in preparation for a high influx of expected patients.
“Stable patients are referred to us and we take care of them,” said Jean Pierre, MSF medical activity manager in Gaza.
“It’s all been gunshot wounds and injuries from shrapnel, spread at random on the upper and lower limbs.”
Authorities reported over 2,200 injuries and over 300 deaths, including 20 children, in Gaza at the moment.
In Israel, over 600 have died and over 2,000 are reported injured at the moment.
MSF in Palestine
Palestine comprises parts of modern Israel and the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) first worked in Palestine in 1989.
Today, we provide medical and psychological assistance to people affected by the ongoing conflict, continuing our long-running mental health programmes on the West Bank and support to burns and trauma victims in the Gaza Strip. Since 2018, we have also been running a reconstructive surgery programme in northern Gaza.