Fadhel Salim, a warehouseman at the Gaza-based Al-Shifaa Medical Complex, is responsible for storing the medical supplies granted by relief agencies. The latest delivery he managed was medical equipment for the complex's Cardiology Department established by Qatar Red Crescent (QRC), just to be the first patient to undergo cardiac catheterization at the new department.
"I was receiving all the medical equipment and supplies for the department. I felt some fatigue, and when I made an electrocardiogram, it was found that I needed an urgent cardiac catheterization procedure. My family told me to travel abroad, but I chose to be treated at the department. The procedure was successful, thanks to God and the proficient doctors of Al-Shifaa Hospital, which QRC provided with many surgical specialties to help the patients and reduce the numbers of those who have to travel abroad for treatment," Mr. Salim said.
Describing the importance of the new Cardiology Department, Dr. Mohamed Habib, the head of department, said that since its opening in May 2014, it has conducted 120 diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac and peripheral catheterization operations, as well as artificial pacemaker implantations for many patients.
"This small number of treated cases," he confirmed, "is attributed largely to the scarcity of medical consumables due to blockade and the recent 50-day war on Gaza, which caused the halt everything." Dr. Habib unveiled the department's future plans to perform 8-10 catheterization operations every day, or 200-250 every month. "There is a dire need for help to find alternatives to the high costs of treatment abroad and the closure of border crossings. Despite the difficult conditions, the Cardiology Department will provide the best medical services for Gaza patients," he pointed out.
The Director of QRC Office in Gaza, Dr. Akram Nassar, stated, "QRC staff completed the finishing of the 250-bed Specialized Surgery Building, which will offer cardiovascular surgeries, catheterization, neurological surgeries, computed tomography (CT) scans, cardiothoracic surgeries, and others." Dr. Nassar expressed his hopes that the building will improve the quality of local medical services, in line with QRC's priority of developing the health infrastructure amid tragic conditions in Gaza due to the post-war aftermaths and the siege.
Established by QRC, the Specialized Surgery Building cost $12 million, co-funded by QRC and the Programme of the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Reconstruction of Gaza, under the supervision of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Currently, the building is furnished and equipped, with a budget of $18 million. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.