Health situation in the Gaza Strip – WHO report (24 Jan. 2008)

Health Situation in Gaza

24^th of January

Yesterday tens of thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt from Gaza after militants blew up part of the wall between Egypt and Gaza Strip protesting against the Israeli blockade. Gazans burst into the Egyptian border town of Rafah to buy different supplies that have become scarce and expensive as a result of months of economic isolation. The Israel decision to suspend the closures of Gaza Strip that started on January 17 is still valid. The Israeli authorities permitted the entrance of 965,000 litres of industrial diesel and 260,000 litres of diesel in addition to 380 tons of cooking gas during the last two days. It is expected that another 315,000 litres of industrial diesel, 250,000 litres of diesel, 20,000 litters of Benzen and 200 tons of cooking gas will be entered into Gaza by the end of this day through Nahal Oz crossing point.

The Gaza power plant has resumed its operation on January 22 and is producing a total amount of 65 megawatts bringing up the available amount of electricity to 202 megawatts (120 megawatt provided by Israeli company, 17 megawatt provided by Egyptian company). Due to the fact that the total electricity required for Gaza Strip in the winter time is 230-240 megawatt, the provision of electricity is expected to be cut for an average of eight hours every two days in North Gaza, Gaza, Khan Younis districts and the Mid Zone; 4 hours every week in Rafah district.

The owners of the local gas stations are still on strike as the 500,000 litres of fuel that will be allowed to enter into Gaza on weekly bases is not sufficient to cover domestic needs including transportation. The 250,000 litres of diesel that have been authorized to enter on February 22 are still on hold at Nahal Oz crossing as the Palestinians refuse to receive the delivery.

Health facilities updates

The distribution of fuel among the health facilities has not started since the reopening of the border except for three hospitals: Shifa, Gaza Paediatrics’ and Gaza European hospital. No other hospital or Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities has received any amount of fuel since yesterday.

The Gaza European Hospital and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis are still on ‘state of emergency’. An additional amount of 7,000 litres of fuel have been delivered to Gaza European hospital on January 23 to keep the Intensive Care Units (ICU) functioning during the electricity outage. Both hospitals have 14,800 litres fuel available out of the 152,000 litres storage capacity. This is the forth days that during the hours of electricity cut activities except for emergency interventions and ICU services have been stopped in all departments of the two hospitals. During the period of power supply work is resumed in all departments except the operation theatre that requires to be backed up by emergency generators.

Gaza Paediatrics’ hospital is working at full capacity as they have received an additional 2,105 litres of fuel which brings up the available amount of fuel to a total of 2,600 litres. Shifa hospital has received an amount of 10,000 litres of fuel yesterday bringing up the available amount of fuel to a total of 19,000 litres. All hospital cars have been supplied by the required amount of fuel after they have stopped working for one day. Around half of the nurses did not report to work as they are usually transported by the Hospital cars.

Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is working at full capacity expecting the delivery of fuel at anytime. The level of fuel reached 5,800 litres out of 16,700.

On January 22, diagnostic and dental services were provided normally at PHC facilities. In Khan Younis, North Gaza and Gaza Electricity was cut during the night hours. In the Mid Zone and Rafah there was no reported electricity outage. This morning, interruption of PHC service provision was reported in 14 out of the 22 PHC facilities that lack functional generators in Gaza and North Gaza districts due to electricity outage.

Vaccines that have been transferred to other PHC facilities with functional generators to avoid an interruption of the cold chain have been returned to the four PHC facilities. In this regard, UNICEF has provided the MoH by 48 vaccines carriers; 9 fridges for vaccines; 100 thermometers for the vaccines fridges; and 60 boxes of a paediatric antibiotic (Negram).

The Central Drug Stores are functioning as normal since the January 22. No electricity problems have been reported yesterday. The fuel tanks have not been replenished yet and the level of fuel reached 500 litres, sufficient to carry on the activities of the stores for 10 hours during the electricity outage.

The majority of the MoH cars is not functioning due to the lack of fuel to supply them. Interruption in the delivery of the monthly medications and food orders have been reported from the different health facilities.

Access to Health Care outside Gaza

Israeli Authorities allow only urgent cases to cross the Israeli Erez crossing.

Patients crossed Erez from January 18 to 23

Water and Waste Water Management

Some of the water wells are functioning again as they are connected to electricity and functioning generators. According to UNICEF and the Costal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) 40-50% of Gazans still do not have access to water. Waste water management pumps are partially working during the availability of electricity as they have not received fuel for the pumps.