Access
Increase in access need through Erez in 2014: The number of applications for health access through Erez checkpoint was slightly less in February than the previous month but the two months were 76% higher than in the same period in 2013, the highest demand since 2005, when WHO began monitoring. The increased demand reflects the continuing problems of access through Rafah border to Egypt and lack of drugs, especially chemotherapy and lack of medical disposables.
Drop in approval rates of permits: 86.8% of applicants received a permit in February 2014, and 3.37% of applicants (50 patients and including 7 children: 16 females, 34 males), were denied permits, the highest monthly denial rate since August 2010. In addition, 9.83% of applicants (146 patients: 44 females and 102 males) received no response to their applications, including 27 children whose medical treatment was delayed as a result.
13 patients interrogated: 13 patients (11 males, 2 females) were requested to attend interviews with Israeli security after applying for a permit to cross Erez. To date, only one patient had been granted a permit following security interviews in February.
Further drop in access through Rafah: Only 36 Gaza patients travelled to Egypt through Rafah in February, less than 1% of the pre-July 2013 monthly figure.
Referrals
Increase in MoH referrals: Total MoH referrals of Gaza patients (1,868) were the highest recorded and 33% higher than the monthly average in 2013. MoH referrals to health facilities in the West Bank and to non-MoH facilities within Gaza were the highest recorded in recent years.
Medical reasons for referrals: The top ten needed specialties were for treatment in the following specialties: oncology--269 referrals (14.4%), MRI--267 (14.29%), orthopaedics--139 (7.44%), heart catheterization--132 (7.07%), nuclear medicine--126 (6.75%), paediatrics--119 (6.37%), ophthalmology--107 (5.73%), neurosurgery--101 (5.41%), haematology--70 (3.75%), and heart surgery --69 (3.69%). The remaining 25% of referrals were to 20 other specialities.
Gender gap: There was a gender gap in referrals: 56.58% male patients versus 43.42% female patients. 25.5% of all referrals were children aged 0-17 years and 17.8% were patients aged over 60 years.
Estimated cost of referrals for February 2014: NIS 10,000,201.