Cancer Treatment in Gaza Strip Suddenly Halted: European Hospital Shuts Down, Leaving Nasser Hospital as Last Stand
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Cancer treatment facility in Gaza Strip ceases operations - Cancer facility in Gaza, the last of its kind, ceases operations per WHO report.
In a recent turn of events, the European Hospital - the last medical facility providing cancer treatment in the Gaza Strip - has ceased operations following an Israeli military attack on Tuesday. The hospital in Khan Younis sustained severe damages and is now inaccessible, as confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO team managed to evacuate the remaining staff, but not before a near-miss strike occurred just before the evacuation. Tedros called for the protection of health facilities in conflict zones, urging that they should never be targeted or militarized.
The medical charity, Doctors Without Borders, highlighted the considerable impact of the closure, stating that the European Hospital served as a significant lifeline in the crippled health system of the Gaza Strip. The Nasser Hospital now stands as the sole functioning clinic in Khan Younis, southern Palestinian territory. Regrettably, Nasser Hospital too was attacked for the second time in less than two months, just hours before the unfortunate incident at the European Hospital.
Israel relaunched its comprehensive attacks on Gaza Strip since March 18, following a two-month ceasefire. In early May, the Israeli security cabinet approved the expansion of the offensive and adopted a plan for the "conquest" of the Gaza Strip. Since March 2, Israel has also restricted the delivery of humanitarian aid shipments to the Gaza Strip.
The healthcare system in Gaza is currently in a dismal state. The closure of the European Hospital has brought vital services like cancer treatment, neurosurgery, and cardiac care to a grinding halt, exclusively available elsewhere in Gaza[2][5]. The Nasser Hospital, the only operating public hospital in Khan Younis, has been overwhelmed, and hospitals throughout the area are functioning partially due to repeated attacks[1][2]. The blockade on Gaza has further complicated the crisis by preventing supplies of essential chemotherapy drugs and electricity required for radiation equipment essential for cancer treatment. This has led to over a thousand cancer patients in Gaza having their treatments interrupted, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Overall, the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza is on the brink, with repeated attacks on medical facilities contributing to a dire humanitarian situation. WHO's Tedros has called for a cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian aid and medical services to be reinstated[4][2]. It's crucial that the international community comes together to restore and secure medical services in the area.
- Despite the World Health Organization's call for the protection of health facilities in conflict zones, the European Hospital in Gaza Strip, providing cancer treatment, has recently ceased operations due to an Israeli military attack, leaving Nasser Hospital as the last operational clinic for cancer treatment in the region.
- In a statement, the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern about the impact of the closure of the European Hospital, citing that it served as a significant lifeline in the crippled health system of Gaza, and urged for the protection of health facilities in conflict zones.
- Amidst the ongoing war and conflicts in the Gaza Strip, the closure of the European Hospital for cancer treatment and the subsequent increased burden on Nasser Hospital underscores the critical need for healthcare-and-wellness services in the region.
- The political implications of the healthcare crisis in Gaza are far-reaching, as over a thousand patients have had their cancer treatment interrupted due to the halt in essential chemotherapy drugs and electricity required for radiation equipment, emphasizing the importance of general-news coverage and international intervention for the protection and restoration of medical services in conflict zones.
