Gaza Health Ministry: We face major deficit in medicines, medical supplies

GAZA, Nov. 10 (YPA) – Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, the Director-General of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, stated that the shortage of medicine is the most dangerous manifestation of the health collapse in the strip, with the deficit in essential medicines exceeding 56% and medical supplies reaching 65%.

In a post on his Facebook page, Dr. Al-Bursh noted that the number of chronic disease patients in Gaza is approximately 350,000, all of whom require continuous treatment. He explained that since the ceasefire, only 60 trucks—representing just 10% of the Ministry of Health’s needs—have entered, and these do not contain essential medicines.

He highlighted that cancer patients, numbering around 12,000, require complex treatment protocols, and a shortage of even a single drug means the cessation of treatment.

Dr. Al-Bursh confirmed that the Israeli enemy destroyed the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which was the backbone of cancer treatment in Gaza.

He also pointed out that mortality rates among chronic patients have risen, with approximately 40% of kidney dialysis patients dying due to displacement, lack of treatment, and the destruction of health centers and databases.

Dr. Al-Bursh stressed that the ongoing shortage of medicine and supplies constitutes a “health genocide,” with many patients facing a slow death. He pointed out that dialysis sessions have been cut from four hours to just one hour “just to keep patients alive,” a situation affecting around 650 patients.

YPA