World Health Organization -
July 30, 2009 -
Back to Resources Page
Introduction
No health care system can function without adequate medical equipment. Yet in Gaza doctors and nurses do not have the medical equipment they need to respond to the health needs of the 1.5 million people living in the Strip. Medical devices are often broken, missing spare parts, or out of date.
Two main factors are responsible for this: the Israeli blockade with its restrictions on the movement of goods and people, and the poor internal organization of maintenance services.
These problems have been compounded by emergency donations of medical equipment which have flooded the Strip since the war in Gaza ended in January 2009. Few donors consulted the Ministry of Health or aid agencies working in the Strip to find out what medical equipment was needed. Few took into account the difficulty of securing spare parts, the high cost of maintenance contracts, and the lack of staff trained in using the devices. While some of the donated equipment has been welcome and useful, a significant proportion is unnecessary or unwanted because it is surplus to actual needs or does not meet MoH standards. According to the MoH, it will be difficult to integrate this equipment into the health care system. The result is that an estimated 500 tons of medical equipment is now sitting idle in warehouses across Gaza.
The current situation brings high economic and human costs. Hospitals cannot run efficiently using equipment that is faulty, unreliable or that has been out of service for long periods. New equipment has a short lifespan because it cannot be properly serviced and maintained. There are serious risks to patients if the equipment needed for their treatment is not available or if their treatment depends on devices that have not been regularly tested or properly maintained.
Without an easing of Israeli restrictions on the Gaza Strip, it is unlikely that there will be a major improvement in the situation. In the meantime, internal reforms in the health system would resolve some of the problems. These should include establishing an inventory of medical equipment, coordinating procurement and stocktaking with the Ministry of Health in the West Bank and a stricter enforcement of protocols for foreign donations.
World Health Organization -
July 30, 2009 -
Back to Resources Page
Front Page Features