Lying in an intensive care room in Rantisi Hospital for Children in Gaza the 3-year-old Yousuf al-Agha faces the risk of death as the Palestinian Authority (PA) procrastinates in issuing a treatment referral for him.
The angel-faced child suffers from kidney failure and is in a dire need for dialysis on a regular basis as well as many tests and medications that are not available in the Gaza Strip according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
A month ago the hospital had applied for an urgent medical permit to transfer Agha abroad for treatment but it has not been approved yet despite the presence of reports confirming that his condition is very critical and that time is a crucial factor in his case.
Director of Rantisi Hospital for Children Dr. Mohammed Abu Silmiya affirmed that Agha is at the risk of death at any moment because of the delayed treatment and that he needs to travel immediately.
The PA has recently begun a series of collective punishment measures against the Gaza Strip including denying it of its share of medicines and procrastinating in issuing medical referrals.
