Gaza Market, Photo: ActiveStills

Four months into the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, a new report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) examines its effects on the status of the Palestinian health system in the Gaza Strip. These are examined in terms of inventories of medical supplies and medicines, infrastructures and power supply, human resources, strikes and wage (non-)payments and the crossing of patients to Egypt through the Rafah Crossing.

The report concludes that in most indicators, the agreement has failed to improve the situation of the healthcare system in Gaza. Apart for some increase in the power supply to hospitals, other areas have seen no change, and the system continues to operate in ongoing conditions of underdevelopment.

There is no improvement in the inventory of essential medicines: 45% of them are still unavailable. This includes drugs for cardiac catheterization, dialysis, and immunoglobulin for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Also lacking are 30% of the medicines required in intensive care. The  consequences of this shortage is the dilution by a third or a half of the dosage provided to the patients, in order to provide at least some level of care to all.

To read the report