Naim discusses with Red Cross delegation ways of developing health sector

Dr. Bassem Naim, the minister of health, met with a delegation from the international committee of the Red Cross led by Antoine Grand and discussed with them the health situation in the Gaza Strip and ways of developing this sector in Palestine.

 

Dr. Naim highlighted, during the meeting, the difficulties faced by the ministry of health as a result of the Israeli blockade and the closure of crossings in addition to the consequent ban imposed on the entry of medicines and medical equipment to Gaza and the restrictions on patients’ travel for medical treatment abroad.

 

He also reviewed the size of mass destruction caused to the infrastructure of the health sector and the deliberate attacks on ambulances and medical crews during the last Israeli war.

 

The minister told the delegation that his ministry’s success in providing health services was thanks to its implementation of the contingency plan declared at the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza.

 

Meanwhile, the Red Cross delegation stated that the committee would give the health ministry medical assistance including 42 fully-equipped ambulances and would rebuild, through the donor countries, the health institutions that were targeted during the war.

 

The two parties agreed on sending two Palestinian doctors specialized in artificial limbs to India for a period of two years in order to take advantage of the experience they would develop in this field.