The Palestinian
Authority purchases services from foreign institutions for the
residents of Gaza Strip. Some services do not exist at all in the
Gaza Strip, including: catheterization and cardiac surgery, burn
treatments, pediatric cardiology, neurosurgery, orthodontic surgery,
radiotherapy, all types of transplants, eye operations and various
tests (such as MRI, bone and bone marrow tests, metabolical tests,
etc.). In addition, there are many fields where although services
exist in the Gaza Strip, they are performing at a level of
specialization that is insufficient for managing the most
complicated cases. There are virtually no sub specializations in the
Gaza Strip in the fields of surgery, oncology, urology.
These services are purchased by the Palestinian Authority at full
cost mainly from Egypt, Israel and Jordan. In 2003, the Palestinian
Authority issued 7,805 certificates for referral to medical
treatment outside the Gaza Strip in order to meet local medical
needs.
Since 13th of December 2004, restriction of passage through Rafah
and Erez crossing in Gaza strip has prevented most patients to reach
health care facilities abroad, in order to receive specialized care
not locally available.
Up to day, January 31st, the two borders are still closed. However,
according to the Israeli authority (Directorate of Civil Liaison in
Erez) and to the MoH liaison person with Israel, Rafah terminal will
open tomorrow for Palestinians, with precedence given to patients.
Between 13th December 2004 and 30th January 2005, the number of
patients that the MoH certified as in need of being referred to
neighbouring countries for specialized care is 582. The destination
of these patients, is as follows: 235 to Israel, 174 to East
Jerusalem and West Bank (through Erez crossing); 318 to Egypt and 27
to Jordan (through Rafah crossing).
The type of health care needed by these patients is the following:
Cardiac surgery (134 patients)
Radiotherapy for
cancer (72 patients)
Internal medicine
diagnostic procedure (22 patients)
Pediatric surgery for
newborns with congenital malformation (78)
Urological and
nephrology specialized medical treatment, including treatment for
renal failure (52 patients)
Intensive care and
burn units (21 patients)
Neurosurgery (53)
Ophthalmology
diagnostic and treatment (70)
Others (80)
Among these patients,
6 have been permitted to leave through Rafah crossing - on January
26 - as a result of an appeal to the Israeli High Court of Justice
launched by the Israeli human right organization “Physicians for
Human Rights”.
Further 45 patients were permitted to leave Gaza through Erez check
point between December 13th and January 13th , all of them seeking
radiotherapy treatment for cancer.
Since January14th, following extended closures in the Gaza Strip,
the transit of patients through Erez check point has virtually
stopped. During this period, the MoH has been negotiating with the
Israeli authority for the crossing of the patients in need, but so
far only 10 patients have been allowed to pass.
As an effect of the closures, many Gaza residents have been trapped
outside Gaza on their way back home. Among them, 877 patients who
had previously left to be treated in Egypt and Jordan. Among these,
42 were children under 5 and 454 were women. The main reasons for
their referral abroad had been cardiovascular surgery and
radiotherapy for cancer. During the waiting period, 7 of these
patients died and were buried in Alarish, at the Egyptian border, as
the Israeli authority did not allow the transfer of the bodies in
Gaza. After 40 days of waiting, the remaining patients have been
allowed to enter Rafah crossing, that has opened, only in one
direction, from January 21st.
Source: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
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