The Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented medicine crisis. With a shortage of up to 70% in medical equipment and the destruction of hundreds of pharmacies, the Gaza Ministry of Public Health announced that since the ceasefire began, only 60 tons of medicine have entered the area.
Munir al-Barsh, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health in Gaza, announced that since the ceasefire on October 10th of this year, only 10% of the Gaza Strip’s pharmaceutical needs have been met.
Al-Barsh, who is also a physician, warned that the severe shortage of medicines, especially painkillers and antibiotics, amidst the rising number of wounded and sick, threatens public health.
According to reports, the Israeli occupation authorities have allowed only 60 tons of medical equipment into Gaza, a meager amount compared to the actual needs of the region. The Ministry of Public Health’s warehouses are suffering from a 65% shortage of medicines, and stocks of some vital drugs have reached zero. Furthermore, the shortage of medical equipment has reached 70%, an unprecedented figure in Gaza’s history.
Al-Barsh emphasized that there has been no tangible improvement in the pharmaceutical situation, and that this has negatively impacted the performance of hospitals in the areas of surgery, wound care, and patient treatment.
He added that the medicines reaching the private sector are extremely limited, leading to a sharp increase in prices.
