The Challenges of Providing Adequate Medical Care in Gaza

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has gained worldwide attention and provoked discussions on humanitarian purgatory and international accountability. While the matter remains controversial, a critical matter demands attention and action; the health crisis. Before the escalation of the conflict on October 7, 2023, Gaza’s healthcare system already faced major issues. Decades of underfunding, depleted stocks, and border blockades severely crippled the healthcare system and the escalation both exacerbated these issues and created new ones. Between infrastructure damage, hygiene crises, limited supplies, and worker shortages, the Gaza Strip faces several challenges in providing medical care to its population. 

Israel’s military campaign is inextricably linked to the health crisis. According to researchers at Harvard University, deadly attacks pinpointing public infrastructure has resulted in the loss of “more than half of healthcare, education, and water facilities” across the Gaza Strip. The resulting unsafe living conditions have forced civilians to flee home and seek shelter; however, safe spaces are limited and fill up quickly as movement restrictions cram IDPs (Internally Displaced People) together. Evacuation does not guarantee safety; military strikes have destroyed refuges in several displacement sites, straining the already-dire need for shelters. Meanwhile, medical workers must deal with the fallout of such attacks, at the sacrifice of their own mental health. Not only must they provide care to an overwhelming number of patients, they do so under the constant threat of violence. This destruction and large-scale displacement has shrunk space in residential areas, packed already-full hospitals, and limited healthcare access. 

The collapse of Gaza’s infrastructure and pollution of its waterways has contributed towards a rise of infectious diseases. With 97% of water “unfit for human consumption,” communities resort to unsafe water supplies for drinking and hygiene purposes. This lack of clean water has been attributed to a quarter of all reported disease in Gaza, including diarrhea, chickenpox, cholera, and other epidemics. Furthermore, overcrowding in shelters and displacement zones creates the ideal environment for sickness to fester, turning simple ailments into serious matters. When it comes to providing healthcare, this shortage is deadly. At the few healthcare centers left standing, clean water is frequently unavailable, rendering standard prepping and sterilization processes near-impossible. Medical workers cannot wash their hands, prepare patients, or clean equipment and tools properly, resulting in hazardous clinical conditions and damaged machinery. Often, medical operations must be delayed until clean water is available, and reliable solutions remain difficult to come by.

Blockages alongside the border have interrupted the flow of food, water, and medical supplies. Without access to these essentials, the population faces an increased risk of starvation and disease. Dr. Randa Abu El-khair Masoud with Doctors without Borders highlights the impact of these blockades. With almost 50% of critical chronic medications reaching low levels, their ability to accept new patients and provide care for chronic conditions is severely-restricted. Furthermore, medical equipment and tools cannot be easily restored or replaced, and staff must work around their absence. This shortage of medical supplies and limited ability to provide care is mirrored all throughout health facilities in Gaza. Medical workers must leverage any available stock, such as non-sterile gauze, even at the risk of patients’ health. Without the necessary means, healthcare workers struggle to treat preventable conditions and are forced to delay life-threatening procedures. 

Gaza’s road to recovery will be lengthy and difficult. International support is crucial; collaboration between “health authorities, international organizations, and local communities,” are needed to address the health crisis, form interventions, and provide access to humanitarian aid. Without immediate and unconditional assistance, Gaza faces great barriers in repairing various sectors, whether health, food, water, sanitation, or education. The academic community must be involved; research into the crisis is invaluable for raising awareness and recruiting support from around the world. Similarly, empowerment of the local community is vital. By uplifting the current workforce and funding training programs to recruit more help, medical workers can equip the necessary skills to deal with the critical situations faced daily in Gaza. Strengthening local authorities can ensure protection of the population, careful allocation of resources, and an improvement in the healthcare system. By stabilizing the current landscape with international aid and placing the right tools in the hands of the local community, Gaza has a fighting chance to rebuild its future. 

The health crisis in the Gaza Strip highlights a bleak outcome of war; the endangerment of the public and its health. Between devastated architecture, mass displacement, packed healthcare centers, disease outbreaks, supply shortages, and numerous other challenges, medical workers must straddle a fine line while providing medical care amidst active conflict. To secure the future of Gaza and its people, immediate and continuous intervention from the international and local community is crucial. All eyes are on Gaza as it moves through this dark spot of history; with the world’s attention and assistance, Gaza and its people can work towards immediate stability and eventually, long-term recovery.