Medical staff at the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip staged a protest on Tuesday against the Palestinian Authority (PA) punitive measures which included forcing Health Ministry’s employees into early retirement and suspending patients’ medical referrals.
European Hospital’s director Dr. Yousuf al-Aqqad said that the hospital departments will have to reduce their health services once the forced retirement decision comes into force warning that this will negatively affect Gazan citizens.
Aqqad added that they will try by all means to preserve employees’ rights and ensure the provision of health services to all citizens in a full and continuous process noting that about 48% of Gaza’s Ministry of Health employees receive their salaries from the PA in Ramallah.
He called on Palestinian factions and international health organizations to pressure the PA to stop the arbitrary measures waged against the health sector in the Gaza Strip.
