Gaza Situation Report – April 2009

Access to Gaza continues to be extremely difficult – as it has been for the past two years – so we were particularly grateful this month (April 2009) for the help of the British Consulate in obtaining permits for three of our Jerusalem staff to enter Gaza for the first time since 2007.     

Myself (Jackie Jaidy. Matron; Nursing Director) Fathi Qaisi, the Medical Engineer and Khalil Jaidy, our Theatre coordinator, were initially pleasantly surprised to see the new modern reception building which has appeared at the Erez checkpoint, replacing the concrete blocks and barbed wire fences.  We entered without difficulty.  Soon, however, we realized that behind the modern reception building was the familiar desolation of Erez, but now we could see that there is not one building left standing – just piles of rubble which indicated where buildings once stood. 

A long, dusty track led to the Palestinian side, in place of the tunnel which had, at least, afforded some protection from the weather, both heat and rain.  Some elderly people were being pushed up and down in wheelchairs by “porters” who now earn a living by pushing them or carrying luggage.  To the left is Beit Hanoun, the scene of heavy attacks during the Gaza war and we could easily see that the homes on the periphery of the town were completely flattened. 

At this point, the presence of a very pleasant and smart Palestinian Police officer, sitting in an office adorned with Palestinian flags, indicated that the Palestinians are in contact with the Israeli’s on their side of the border.  We took a taxi and proceeded on our way to Gaza city. At a checkpoint further down the road, we were asked for our ID’s by what we assumed were Hamas personnel.  They were equally as polite and pleased to see people from the outside world visiting Gaza again!

As we entered Gaza city, we noticed more traffic than I would have thought possible, considering that fuel is in short supply.  Boys were selling bottles of kerosene for cars, cooking and heating, by the side of the road. We were told that there had not been a supply of petrol for 4 months but that a supply had been received that day via the tunnels from Egypt.  One new feature was the large number of shiny new scooters and motor bikes which are replacing cars as the favoured mode of transport (although the faithful old horses and mules pulling trailers – the ‘Gaza Mercedes’ – are still plodding up and down every road).  The scooters and motor bikes also come from Egypt via the tunnels.  (We soon saw that, yes, indeed, almost everything in Gaza comes via the tunnels – including meat and other foodstuffs, cleaning materials, schoolbooks and pens, and clothes.)

The only humanitarian aid officially allowed through at the moment seems to be flour, rice, sugar.  Even Pasta is deemed to be a security threat.  Fruit and vegetables from Israel are allowed in, even though these are in good supply locally in Gaza.  Recently there had been a “delivery” of toilet rolls and tissues from Egypt via the tunnels, but for many months there were none in Gaza.

We passed many buildings which were either entirely razed to the ground, or badly damaged, including the Parliament building, all government Ministries, the Police HQ and the PA HQ.  The (previously) lovely, new Palestinian Red Crescent Society Hospital building was badly damaged, with an ambulance which had been squashed flat, leaning against the wall.  We did not pass through the areas of worst damage, which contain many homes which have been destroyed, but we know that no reconstruction work has begun because of the total ban on basic building materials.  No cement or metalwork (every metal workshop in Gaza seems to have been destroyed) or any items needed in construction work are available.

Fortunately The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Clinic was not damaged and, having arrived there, it was wonderful to see everyone again. One doctor told me that every person in Gaza thought they were going to die during those – literally – dark days, and that the children were the most badly affected, terrified by the noise and darkness. 

Our Clinic is looking very tired and is more overcrowded than ever.  New machinery has taken up every available bit of space and there is very little room for either pre- or post- operative patients.  More spacious premises are urgently needed – there is no storage space, no privacy and the storage for patient files is entirely exhausted.  The computer programme which used to be used for registration of patients is no longer effective and all registration and documentation, including coding of diseases, and statistics, are done by hand by the one accountant/clerk in the clinic, assisted by the nursing staff. This includes anything to do with medical records – including the filing.

After collection by hand, the statistics are then entered on the computer. A new IT system, including software and hardware is badly needed. This has been costed at approximately £10,200 or $15,000.

However, the major difficulty we are facing in Gaza at the present time is the referral of serious cases to our base hospital in Jerusalem. Currently no patients being transferred because of a political issue.   In March, 65 patients – most of them children or Retinal cases, were referred to the Jerusalem Hospital, but only a handful were allowed through. The flow of patients has now stopped completely, and is being dealt with by the Red Cross, Physicians for Human Rights, World Health Organisation and other humanitarian agencies.

We can only hope to have some movement on this issue in the near future.

                                                Jackie Jaidy. Matron/Nursing Director