2023-11-15 00:28:20
Gaza Cancer Patients Unable to Receive Treatment due to Ongoing War
The ongoing war in Gaza has created a humanitarian crisis for children suffering from cancer. According to doctors, at least 30 children with various types of cancers in the lymph nodes and blood are at risk of death if left without proper treatment.
Efforts to evacuate these children from Gaza to hospitals in Egypt and Jordan have been ongoing for the past ten days. However, the continuing violence has posed challenges for relief workers to reach the families of these children. The closure of the only pediatric cancer ward in Gaza, Al-Rantisi Specialized Hospital for Children, has further worsened the situation, leaving many children without access to medical care that is crucial for their survival.
Although 21 children have been successfully evacuated, many more are still awaiting treatment. Even those who received approval to cross into Egypt faced difficulties at the border. In some cases, families arrived only to discover that their child’s name had been removed from the evacuation list.
The situation has been especially dire for cancer patients since the “Friendship” Hospital, the only facility specialized in cancer treatment in Gaza, stopped working due to a lack of fuel. This has left the lives of 70 cancer patients inside the hospital in danger. With more than 2,000 cancer patients living in catastrophic health conditions, the closure of the hospital presents a critical threat to their survival.
According to health officials, the closure of the hospital comes at a time when there is an urgent need for treatment for more than 45,000 people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and over 60,000 patients with diabetes. Compounding the issue is the unavailability of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy within the Gaza Strip.
Amid the chaos of war and the closure of crossings, relief workers and health officials are warning of dire consequences for cancer patients if they do not receive the care they need. Dr. Fadl Naeem, head of the orthopedic department at the National Arab Hospital “Al-Baptist” in Gaza, expressed concerns about the lack of interest in the treatment of cancer patients and warned that complications for chronically ill patients, especially cancer patients, may result in death if they do not receive essential treatments.
Efforts are underway to address the urgent medical needs of cancer patients in Gaza and secure their safe evacuation to medical facilities outside the war-torn region. Urgent appeals have been made to ensure the continuation of life-saving treatments for these vulnerable individuals as the conflict in Gaza persists.]
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