With primitive tools and simple materials made of wood and nylon, dentist Rizk Abu Halima is trying to revive his profession, which was destroyed by the Israeli occupation army. He opened an alternative clinic on the rubble of his medical center, which was once a sophisticated edifice equipped with the latest medical devices in Gaza City.
What was once a clinic bustling with life and modern technologies has been transformed into a mere small 'kiosk' lacking the most basic necessities. The doctor faces immense challenges due to the occupation's prevention of essential medical supplies, making it almost impossible to provide services to patients under the current circumstances.
Abu Halima's story reflects a tragic reality experienced by the health sector in Gaza, where data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health indicates that the occupation has destroyed about 80% of private medical clinics. This systematic destruction has forced hundreds of doctors to start from scratch in medically unprepared environments.
Abu Halima sadly recalls how he used to manage an integrated center with specialized teams and departments for radiology and sterilization before airstrikes turned it into rubble. Only one medical device survived from that center, which the doctor extracted with great difficulty from under the debris to continue his humanitarian work.
The dental sector, in particular, is suffering from a suffocating crisis, as the prices of basic materials and fillings have increased by 5 to 10 times their previous value. This insane price hike has burdened citizens who are already suffering from a collapsed economic situation.
The challenges are exacerbated by a severe shortage of root canal fillings, cosmetic materials, and dental implant supplies, whose prices have become exorbitant. Doctors are forced to work within the narrowest possible limits, trying to alleviate the pain of patients who lack even the simplest pain relievers.
Dr. Abu Halima issued urgent appeals to international organizations and relief agencies for immediate intervention to break the medical blockade. He stressed that providing medical supplies regularly is the only way to lower prices and ensure safe healthcare for citizens burdened with injuries.
Official statistics reveal the extent of the catastrophe, as the occupation targeted 38 hospitals, putting them completely or partially out of service. Bombing also affected 96 primary care centers and destroyed nearly 200 ambulances that were working to rescue the wounded in various governorates.
On another sidewalk, pharmacist Shireen Al-Atbash set up a wooden kiosk as an alternative pharmacy amidst the displaced persons' tents. This step came after occupation aircraft destroyed the pharmacy she worked at in northwest Gaza City, turning its medical stock into ashes.
Al-Atbash complains of a severe shortage of medicines for chronic diseases, especially those related to diabetes and thyroid disorders. She confirms that preventing the entry of sufficient medicines has forced pharmacists to dispense less effective alternative treatments, threatening the health stability of thousands of patients.
The primitive pharmacies in Gaza face an additional dilemma: the absence of necessary cooling facilities to store sensitive medicines. With continuous power outages and rising temperatures, maintaining the quality of medicines and medical supplies becomes a major daily challenge.
The Ministry of Health warned of a serious deterioration threatening the lives of vulnerable patient groups, including 250 kidney failure patients. These patients are at risk of stopping dialysis due to a severe shortage of medical solutions and filters necessary for their continued life.
The crisis extends to include 11,000 diabetic patients facing health complications due to the irregular availability of insulin injections. Additionally, 110 hemophilia patients suffer from the absence of specialized treatments, putting them in direct confrontation with the risk of bleeding and serious complications.
These medical 'kiosks' remain a testament to the will to survive among Palestinian medical staff despite the Israeli destruction machine. Healthcare workers hope that this war will end so they can rebuild their facilities and provide their services under conditions that uphold human dignity and the right to treatment.
The occupation completely destroyed the center, leaving only one medical device and some simple tools that we miraculously extracted from under the rubble.
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'Kiosk' Clinics in Gaza.. Attempts to Restore the Health Sector After 80% of Facilities Were Destroyed