PALESTINE'S MEDICAL SYSTEM ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE

By Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, The Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees

  photo: The strugggle in Gaza

October 15, 2000 -- The West Bank and Gaza Strip is under complete siege. Every village and town has been cut off, making travel between regions impossible. The Gaza airport has been closed, and Palestinians are not allowed to leave the country via land borders or Tel Aviv airport. Palestinians have become virtual prisoners in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

     The closure has gravely impacted health service delivery to Palestinians. Patients with serious injuries requiring referral to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or Egypt for specialized care are unable to be transported. UPMRC's and other health organizations' medical teams are facing incredible difficulties reaching sick patients. The Primary Health Care system in Palestine has become paralyzed since doctors cannot access clinics and patients in rural areas cannot access city hospitals.

The closure constitutes a clear-cut, serious violation to Palestinian citizens' health and human rights. For example, on Friday, 27-year-old Nimr Mahmoud Sha'ban of Jiflik was bitten by a snake and needed immediate transport to a hospital. The Israeli army would not let him pass through the checkpoint for hours and when he finally reached a hospital, he needed to be admitted to the intensive care unit.  

Najat Abdel-Razek, age 20, sustained head and back injuries when her house collapsed during a storm. The ambulance called to take her to the hospital was not allowed through the checkpoint, and a doctor unsuccessfully tried to drive her in a private car. The doctor was finally permitted to carry her through the checkpoint on a stretcher only after arguing with IDF soldiers for an hour. She was then transferred to an ambulance waiting on the other side, and driven to a hospital for further treatment.  

Also, in Salfit, two sick Palestinians died because medical teams could not get through the checkpoints in time to reach them.

The Israeli forces' closure will again create an Intifada-type situation where pregnant women deliver their children at checkpoints, and sick people die while waiting for Israeli permission to pass.

photo: Resistance in Ramallah   

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