The Palestinian healthcare system in the besieged Gaza Strip is facing an alarming crisis due to the shortage of fuel supplies for generators that provide power for hospitals a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has warned.
Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidrah said the ministry has enacted a “Plan B” which involves the redistribution of resources to more critically needed health assets.
Al-Qidrah also warned of the possibility of delayed or canceled surgeries and inter-hospital transfers if no urgent action is taken on the part of the concerned authorities.
He said patients with severe illnesses and those diagnosed with renal failure are at risk of losing their lives as a result of the crisis.
He added that the health system’s fuel reserves will completely run out by mid February and if a solution is not found Gaza’s hospitals will be forced to close essential services.
Over recent years increasing shortages of fuel have created a real crisis for Gaza’s hospitals often leading to the closure of essential health services thus leaving thousands of patients without access to life-saving health care.
