ActionAid revealed on Tuesday that caesarean sections for women are performed in hospitals in the Gaza Strip without anesthesia or painkillers.
The non-governmental organization explained in a report issued on Tuesday regarding the catastrophic situation that the Gaza Strip’s hospitals are going through due to the aggression that has continued for 39 days, that the medical staff working in Al-Awda Hospital, which is run by a partner of ActionAid International, performed 16 cesarean sections last weekend, Under extremely harsh and difficult conditions, they delivered between 18 and 20 babies per day, despite the lack of vital medical supplies such as anesthesia.
She pointed out that the facilities and surrounding areas have been under intense attack since Friday, and 22 out of 35 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been out of service, including the two largest hospitals, Al-Shifa and Al-Quds, due to bombing or running out of fuel, and people have become trapped inside them without water, food or Electricity due to continued bombing in the surrounding areas.
She confirmed that the medical staff is exhausting their attempts and energy to keep 36 newborn babies alive, as at least 32 hospital patients died during the past few days, with it being impossible to bury the bodies.
She confirmed that doctors in the Gaza Strip are working to deliver babies, in Al Awda Hospital, the only hospital that can work in northern Gaza, despite the difficulties, by relying on batteries.
She pointed out that doctors are dedicated to supporting pregnant women fleeing bombing from the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City, in an attempt to seek treatment and find a suitable place to give birth, due to all other hospitals in the region being forced to close their doors.
ActionAid Palestine’s communications and advocacy officer, Reham Jaafari, said, “Thousands of women in Gaza risk their lives to give birth, and undergo cesarean sections and emergency operations without sterilization, anesthesia, or painkillers. Women must enjoy good health care and the right to give birth in a safe place.” Instead, women are forced to bring their children into the world under absolutely hellish conditions.”
She added: “Hospitals lack food, water, electricity and fuel, and an increasing number of them are completely out of work. How long will the bodies continue to pile up, and how many vulnerable children will be lost before this suffering ends? Only an immediate ceasefire will ensure the entry into force.” “Enough fuel and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip and deliver them to hospitals so they can start providing life-saving care again.”
She stressed that hospitals are not targets, and should never be targets. These safe havens have protected status under international humanitarian law and this must be respected.
ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1972 whose primary goal is to work against poverty and injustice around the world.
2023-11-14 11:40:19
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