RAMALLAH, Dec 1 (KUNA) -- Health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on Monday the death of about 1,000 Palestinian patients while waiting for the border crossings to open to travel for treatment, despite having obtained administrative forms ensuring their medical transfer outside the strip.
Director-General of health authorities in Gaza Dr. Munir Al-Barsh, said in a statement that the joint medical referral committees with the World Health Organization (WHO) have received more than 22,000 cases since the beginning of the war, of which 18,100 were approved, including 5,000 cancer patients, 7,000 injured, and 5,000 children.
He added that "all the files are with the United Nations and the World Health Organization," emphasizing the importance of opening the Rafah land crossing as soon as possible.
Al-Barsh pointed out that the number of injured people needing complex surgeries unavailable in the strip has exceeded 170,00 due to the complete collapse of the health system and the depletion of surgical capacities.
He explained that the healthcare sector is suffering from a severe shortage of medicine and medical supplies, noting that the majority of essential and emergency medicines, medical supplies, bone fixatives and gauze are unavailable.
The available medical supplies are enough for only one month despite the declared ceasefire, noting that the "WHO has three thousand medical aid trucks ready in the Egyptian city of Al-Arish, but they have not been able to bring them in," added Al-Barsh. (end) wab.ga.sas