A cry for help to save Gaza's healthcare system

"I start my shift at al-Shifa Hospital's emergency ward at 7:30am, and I stay at the hospital for a full 24 hours. During that time, there is a constant stream of patients, from heart attacks to hypothermia to chronic diseases that have suddenly worsened due to the lack of treatment for traumatic injuries from Israeli attacks. On a regular shift, there are four to six of us nurses, and up to three doctors"

"Like many of the other medical staff, I do not get paid for this work. The hospital cannot afford to compensate us; some colleagues occasionally receive symbolic remuneration from supporting organisations. No one has a fixed salary. Out of 29 departments, just three are partially operational at al-Shifa. Most of the buildings in the once-sprawling medical complex are destroyed or burned."

"We have no heating, no electricity, and no running water, and we struggle to get adequate food because I bring no income back. This is the reality that medical workers face across Gaza. It has been more than two months since the ceasefire came into effect, but Gaza's hospitals still feel like battlefronts. The health sector is on the brink of collapse; it is barely functioning only because of the volunteer work of countless medical professionals and their sense of moral duty."

Healthcare in Gaza is collapsing and remains functional largely because surviving medical workers continue to work from a sense of moral duty. Emergency staff at al-Shifa Hospital cover 24-hour shifts with a constant stream of patients including heart attacks, hypothermia, and worsened chronic diseases from untreated traumatic injuries. Staffing is roughly one-third of pre-war levels, with four to six nurses and up to three doctors per shift. Most staff receive no pay, with occasional symbolic remuneration from organizations. Out of 29 departments, only three are partially operational. Most buildings are destroyed or burned, and hospitals operate like battlefronts with record occupancy and severe equipment and medication shortages.

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