Title: Gaza Hospitals Struggle with Shortage of Anaesthetics and Medicines Amidst Ongoing Conflict
In Gaza, the dire shortage of anaesthetics and medicines has left hospitals overwhelmed and medical staff grappling with the challenge of providing adequate pain relief to patients. As the war in Gaza continues for a month, the situation has become increasingly dire for both medical professionals and patients.
At Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, nurse Abu Emad Hassanein recalled one particularly heartbreaking moment when a young girl, crying in pain, had to endure stitches on her head without any anaesthetic. The scarcity of pain relief medication has made it incredibly difficult to provide adequate care to the growing number of wounded individuals.
In some cases, medical staff have resorted to offering sterile gauze for patients to bite on in order to alleviate their pain. Hassanein emphasized that the pain experienced by these patients far exceeds what one would expect, especially among children like the girl with the head wound.
Nemer Abu Thair, a middle-aged man seeking treatment for a wound caused by an airstrike at Al Shifa Hospital, revealed that he was initially stitched up without any pain relief. Reciting the Koran helped him cope with the excruciating pain until the procedure was completed.
The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas militants breached the border fence with southern Israel on October 7. Israel claims that 1,400 people were killed and 240 abducted, making it the deadliest day in the country’s history. Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, the director of Al Shifa Hospital, explained that the facility has been overwhelmed by a significant influx of injured individuals, often resulting in a lack of space and resources.
Abu Selmeyah cited an incident on October 17, when an explosion at Al Ahli Arab Hospital led to approximately 250 injured people being rushed to Al Shifa Hospital, which only has 12 operating theaters. In order to save lives, medical staff were forced to operate on the floor, sometimes without anesthesia or using weak painkillers.
Procedures performed under such circumstances at Al Shifa Hospital included amputations, stitching serious wounds, and treating severe burns. The medical team faced an agonizing choice between subjecting patients to excruciating pain or risking their lives.
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, director Dr. Mohammad Zaqout revealed that there was a period at the start of the conflict when anaesthetic supplies completely ran out. This led to procedures, including Caesarian sections and burn treatments, being performed without anesthesia. Although staff attempted to alleviate pain with alternative medications, it proved insufficient.
While aid trucks were eventually allowed into Gaza, the United Nations and international aid groups assert that the assistance provided thus far is far from enough to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Although the shortage of anaesthetics has improved at Nasser Hospital, Al Shifa Hospital and the Indonesian Hospital in the heavily bombarded north of the strip still face severe deficits.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has created an unprecedented challenge for hospitals, leaving medical staff and patients alike in a state of desperation. The scarcity of anaesthetics and medicines has compromised the ability to provide adequate pain relief, forcing medical professionals to make difficult decisions in order to save lives.
