The Ministry of Health in Gaza: A severe shortage of eye services threatens thousands of patients with vision loss

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip warned today of the worsening suffering of eye patients due to the serious challenges facing the health sector as a result of the ongoing siege and aggression. The Ministry stressed that the continuation of this situation threatens thousands of patients in the Strip with blindness.

In a press statement, the Ministry explained that the damage to diagnostic and surgical equipment in the Strip’s hospitals has exacerbated the difficulty of performing necessary surgical interventions, leading to a backlog of cases and longer waiting times. This comes at a time when health facilities are suffering from a severe shortage of eye care medications, which it described as “very limited” and insufficient even to meet emergency needs.

The Ministry pointed out that the shortage of specialized medications, especially for treating chronic and acute diseases, has compounded the suffering of patients. It noted that more than 4,000 patients suffering from glaucoma are at risk of blindness due to the lack of appropriate treatment and the limited availability of surgical procedures.

The Ministry of Health called on all relevant local and international bodies to intervene urgently and immediately to facilitate the entry of diagnostic equipment and specialized medications needed to save the lives of eye patients in the Gaza Strip before it is too late.