Palestine’s healthcare system has been suffering due to restrictions by the occupying state of Israel.
More than 8,000 cancer patients are set to receive much-needed medication as part of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)’s latest project in Gaza, the charity has announced.
QRCS will offer a supply of chemotherapy drugs to cancer patients in the Gaza Strip, helping some 8,644 male and female patients for a total of 10 months.
This comes as part of a signed cooperation agreement with the Palestinian Ministry of Health which looks to implement a project that would provide all necessary medicines for cancer patients in the Gaza Strip amid a shortage triggered by the ongoing Israeli siege and closure of crossings.
Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian territories has caused severe structural constraints and impeded the development of the country since at least 1967.
This has caused an overall weakening of the socio-economic and political environment for some 4.2 million Palestinians as well as negatively impacting the functioning of the Palestinian health system, according to a report by the World Health Organisation.
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Gaza has been suffering from an illegal Israeli embargo since 2006, which has placed over two million Palestinians under harsh conditions that were further exacerbated during the latest May offensive.
The illegal Israeli blockade has deprived Palestinians of essential commodities, including food, fuel and medicine.
Restrictions on goods due to the year-long Israeli blockade of Gaza and Egypt’s closure of the Rafah border have led to the worsening of the public health system and lower health expenditure from the Palestinian Authority.
WHO statistics stated that such external and internal factors “have given rise to chronic shortages in essential medicines averaging 30% over the past 5 years, and up to 50% in medical disposables.”
QRCS is supporting the implementation of the project with joint funding from the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and the Kuwait Finance House.
The agreement states that the two parties share the financing of the project in an effort to support the Palestinian people and help support the healthcare sector.
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