Al-Rantisi Pediatric Hospital in Gaza has warned that a life-saving cancer medication known as “Mercaptopurine” has almost run out.
This medication is used with other drugs to treat children who suffer from a certain type of cancer especially acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is a chemotherapy drug that is taken by mouth.
Head of the hospital’s blood and tumor pharmacy Talha Ba’lusha explained that each child with leukemia usually needs a course of Mercaptopurine for about two years and the absence of this important drug would threaten the lives of sick children.
Ba’lusha added that dozens of sick children receive this medication throughout the stages of their treatment.
He appealed to the competent health authorities to address this issue and save the lives of dozens of children who suffer from this disease pointing out that this medication costs in Gaza up to four times the actual price.
