Gaza _ Palestine News Network
Statistics from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, published by the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, showed that 8515 people had cancer in the strip.
According to statistics, 806 of the infected are children, 7%. While 4705 of the infected are women, by 55.3%.
The 4th of February every year is the World Cancer Day, where cancer patients in Gaza are experiencing increasingly harsh conditions and the sites are growing in their access to adequate health care to survive the disease.
The psychological and physical suffering of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip is compounded by a lack of capacity and a permanent shortage of equipment, diagnostic devices, drugs, medicines, medical equipment and therapeutic inputs, where the shortage of medicines remained one of the most significant threats to the lives of patients.
According to the data available from the General Department of Pharmacy at the Ministry of Health, the average rate of deficiency in medicines for the treatment of cancer patients and blood diseases (58%) Throughout the year 2018, these medications consist of (65) varieties.
The deficit in these drugs increased in the month of April last April to (80%), which threatened the lives of many patients, because in the absence of a class of medicines configured for the treatment program the whole program fails and becomes the availability of other program components of drugs meaningless.
The severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the freedom of movement of patients constitute one of the most significant and systematic violations that threaten the lives of patients and deprive them of access to treatment.
Travel outside the Gaza Strip to undergo radiation therapy, which is not available in the besieged sector, the absence of appropriate diagnostic equipment and the decline of the health system, is an indispensable requirement. However, the restrictions continued, either by refusing to grant permits or by delaying the response, where available data indicate that (38%) Patients were unable to access health facilities outside the Gaza Strip for treatment.
The occupation authorities continued to exploit the crossings as a trap for the rhythm and extortion of Palestinians, with 5 patients and escorts being arrested during 2018, and these procedures and practices resulted in the death of many patients, where the Al Mezan Human Rights Center documented the death of 45 patients with cancer. From 2016 to the end of 2018 due to Israeli restrictions.
Additional and equally serious challenges have emerged for cancer patients due to the low level of health fundamentals such as access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and adequate supply of safe food. This is in addition to the high rates of air, groundwater and seawater pollution, the significant reduction in basic supply of electricity, the persistence of social and economic exclusion, and the resulting unemployment and poverty.
The persistence of the suffering of cancer patients, especially since the largest proportion of them are women in the Gaza Strip, necessitates the fulfilment of the obligations of the State of Palestine under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other international conventions. By taking the necessary measures and allocating adequate budgets to ensure that the highest attainable standard of health is achieved.
In the same vein, the Israeli occupation authorities assume responsibility, and their practices constitute a clear and unequivocal violation of their legal obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law and under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural rights, which imposes on the authorities The occupation protect and respect the sick and the vulnerable, women, and work to the maximum of their means to maintain medical facilities and services, hospitals, contribute to the improvement of public health, adopt the necessary preventive measures to combat the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics, and allow service personnel All categories of medical personnel in the performance of their duties as well as to ensure the freedom of movement of individuals in general and of patients in particular.
The Al-Mizan Center stressed that the continued suffering of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip requires the expansion of interventions to address the obstacles and challenges to the lives of cancer patients, neutralize the health sectors and political conflicts, and develop strategic plans to develop and improve health services Provided to patients, supplying medical facilities with all material supplies and human resources from experienced specialists, meeting the requirements of breast cancer patients in particular and directing their special care.
The centre called on all internal parties to intervene urgently and effectively to provide the health sector in the Gaza Strip with the basic needs of medicines, medical supplies and fuel for the operation of alternative energy generators in the event of power outages and to develop and improve the capacity of the health sector to meet its obligations and improve the capacity of hospitals and health facilities.
It also called on the international community to take concrete and urgent steps that would stop the continuing violations of the right of patients from the Gaza Strip to receive appropriate health care, by pressuring the occupation authorities to respect and implement the obligations arising from international law, and by ensuring that patients have access To their hospitals and take into account their situation while travelling through the Beit Hanoun crossing.
The Al Mezan Center called on specialized agencies and organizations to provide all forms of support to the health sector so that they can provide health services at their minimum.
