Gaza’s Health Ministry warned Sunday that hospitals in the Palestinian enclave are facing critical shortages, with medicine stocks down by 52% and medical supplies by 71%.
The warning followed a press conference held at al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City to highlight the grave consequences of dwindling pharmaceutical, medical and laboratory supplies.
The health system is facing "an unprecedented and dangerous state of exhaustion" after two years of war and a tight blockade, which have severely reduced its ability to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services, the ministry said.
Detailing the shortfall, the ministry said stocks of 321 essential medicines have fallen to zero in its warehouses.
It said shortages affecting emergency and intensive care services stand at 38%, potentially depriving about 200,000 patients of emergency care, 100,000 patients of surgical services and 700 patients of intensive care.
