Radio episode: the pandemic's toll on Gaza's health sector

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies carried out the fourth radio episode of the programme “Gaza in the face of Corona”, funded by the Atlas Network, which includes among its activities the broadcast of a radio programme of 10 episodes drawing in experts to speak of the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on the health, economic, social, political, and other sectors. This episode hosted Dr Mohammed Abdel Qader Abu Rayya, consultant in public health and epidemiology, who spoke of the reality of the health sector in Gaza at the time of the pandemic.

Dr Mohammed spoke of the pandemic in the Gaza Strip and how the Strip faced the war of the novel coronavirus with all courage despite the fragility of the health situation and the health facilities in the Gaza Strip. This white army did not fail us in presenting its services — it is the first line of defence for the people in facing the virus; alongside this, the level of awareness among individuals is very important for correcting the course and facing the epidemic's plan of spread, so that it be in the direction of decline and not rise, and for correcting some wrong concepts and behaviours among some people.

He likewise touched on the psychological side being important in facing the virus in the Gaza Strip, which falls between the anvil of the blockade and the hammer of the virus — the factor of fear and tension that affects the strength of the immune system. If we follow the safety and prevention measures to face the virus, it is not dangerous; it is only fast-spreading. But if we come to its strength, the ordinary influenza virus kills a greater number than the numbers of those who have died because of the coronavirus

In this context he spoke also of there being coordination between the West Bank and the Strip on the official side over the health situation in the Strip, and also of communication with the party that increases the badness of the economic and health conditions in the Gaza Strip — namely the occupation, and the division that has increased our weakness. Today we are before the facing of a world pandemic and the fall of world health systems; this virus laid bare many of the systems — before the virus their image fell and their truth was exposed. So all salutation to the crew that faced it with all courage and did not stop before any stumble — especially our medical crew, expert in crises as a result of the wars it has been subjected to. He demanded the improvement of the financial situation of the crew that works 20 hours daily to face this danger. We discussed the wrong individual and communal behaviours, the methods of coexistence, and mental health; and we mentioned that it is not just to compare the health situation, resources, and capabilities between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, given the blockade clamped upon the Gaza Strip