6 April 2021
This week Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has delivered two oxygen generators to hospitals in Gaza amid a surge of COVID-19 cases that is once again straining the capacity of hospitals to respond.
Daily cases have tripled in the last two weeks, with 1,463 people testing positive for coronavirus in the last 24 hours and more than 16 new deaths recorded in the last four days. More than 200 people are now seriously ill and receiving treatment in high dependency units or intensive care units.
In November 2020, during Gaza’s first major wave of cases, the Ministry of Health in Gaza identified a critical gap in hospitals’ ability to generate sufficient oxygen to provide care to coronavirus patients. Amid the latest surge, oxygen generation needs are once again becoming critical in Gaza’s healthcare sector.
This week MAP, with the support of the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund, delivered two oxygen generators to Gaza. These were installed at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, providing 940 litres per minute (l/min) of oxygen, enough to treat an estimated 27,000 patients over the next two years.
The procurement of these generators is additional to our ongoing provision of essential medicines and medical disposables to hospitals. Chronic stock shortages amid Israel’s 13-year blockade and closure of Gaza mean that 43% or essential drugs are now at ‘zero stock’, meaning they are close to running out or entirely depleted at Gaza’s central drug store.
You can help us continue to provide these essential supplies by donating today:
