Basem Naim a member of Hamas International Relations Office said “Gaza is expecting the worst if the epidemiological situation of the coronavirus continues with the current casualty rates. He pointed to the exhausted health system due to 14 years of Israel blockade.
Naim stated in press statements that the Ministry of Health needs more than one medical oxygen generation plant and more than 50 ventilators to confront the virus.
He pointed out that the health sector in Gaza faces two obstacles the first how to buy these needs with the increasing coronavirus infections. The second obstacle is the occupation’s procrastination in allowing entry of the sector’s need for medicines to confront the pandemic he added.
For his part Iyad Abu Karsh Director of Critical Care Medicine Department at the Ministry of Health warned of the increasing rate of the epidemiological situation in the Gaza Strip. The percentage of severe and critical cases reached 20 percent 5-7 percent of which are young people who did not suffer from any previous or chronic diseases.
Abu Karsh expressed in a press statement on Monday the ministry’s fear that the percentage of critical cases will increase to 40 percent with the onset of winter which will deplete the oxygen consumption of the hospitals.
The director explained that there are efforts to provide 100 beds in intensive care units to serve critical cases of coronavirus patients.
Abu Karsh warned again of the peak of the pandemic with the onset of winter and the increase in cases and their status in terms of severe risk.
He called on international institutions to support the health sector in Gaza against this pandemic equip intensive care units and provide the necessary medical needs to preserve the lives of the infected.
