Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society: Emergency appeal for Gaza

Ramallah, 31.12.08 - The Palestinian Medical Relief Society issued today an emergency appeal regarding the collapse of the health and sanitation sectors in Gaza.

 

Gaza’s humanitarian situation was already declared a ‘crisis’ by the international community after nearly two years of siege. The situation has now been exacerbated by the bombing.

 

The heath sector in Gaza is currently in a state of collapse, with hospitals full to overflowing and medical teams cannot provide an adequate response to the growing needs. Sunday, the main medical supplies store in Gaza was bombarded.

Severely injured patients cannot be taken abroad for treatment due to prolonged closures of border crossing. Hundreds of injured people are impossible to transport by land due to closures and the severity of their harms. Those would need specially airplanes to be carried out abroad for medical treatment.

 

Basic medical supply is also urgently needed – including every type of blood, sterilization equipment, needles, anaesthetics, catheters, gases, oxygen or monitors.

 

Today, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Maxwell Gaylard warned the International community on heath and humanitarian distaster in Gaza. “Gaza’s hospitals are facing their largest ever trauma caseloads under some of the most adverse conditions imaginable. They must have reliable power,” he said.

 

In addition, the safety of the medical workers is not assured anymore. Yesterday, Ihab Al Madhoun, a Palestinian Doctor from the Ministry of Health was killed while providing assistance to the injured. Two other first aid workers have been killed, while evacuating the wounded; along with a technician from the Gaza hospital.

 

The Palestinian Medical Relief society in Gaza provides first aid care to the people in needs, by going on the fields where the bombings occurred. It provides primary heath care to people waiting to be taken to hospitals.

 

The Palestinian Medical Relief Society’s head office in Ramallah stated today that it will send a stock of emergency medicines to Gaza.

 

Since Saturday, the Israeli army has carried out massive air strikes against the most densely populated area on the planet, provoking one of the biggest massacre since the beginning of the occupation.

 

At least 390 have been reportedly killed (including more than 25 children and 9 women), and more than 1,650 have sustained heavy injuries of which some 45% are civilians. The number is expected to rise within the coming hours as more bodies are uncovered from the rubble, more casualties succumb to their wounds, and more bombs continue to fall. 

 

More Information?  Call: 0599 – 94 00 73 or visit the website: http://www.pmrs.ps

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