Gaza: Huge increase in people with disabilities expected

2024-04-05 04:36:06

Care for amputees is extremely difficult

Munich (ots) – Given the extent of the violence in the Gaza Strip and the high number of injuries, there are more and more people who urgently need physiotherapy, prostheses and aids such as wheelchairs and crutches. The rehabilitation specialists at the humanitarian aid organization Handicap International (HI) are seeing a rapidly increasing number of people with amputations and fear an increase in permanent disabilities.

Many people who have fled violence and bombings are not receiving adequate medical care, including large numbers of people with amputations. The number of amputations and spinal injuries is unprecedented. The lack of medical staff and essential supplies in Gaza prevents the surgeries needed to prepare a stump for a prosthesis. Since October 7, Handicap International teams have cared for nearly 10,000 people – many of whom have had their legs or arms amputated. Many still have open wounds, untreated burns and fractures, and shrapnel fragments in their bodies. Open wounds and severely damaged skin must be bandaged to prevent infection.

Gaza: Care for amputees extremely difficult

Reham Shaheen, HI rehabilitation expert, explains: “At Handicap International alone, there are a lot of people on the waiting list for assistive devices. A lot of things are out of stock. Supply is our biggest challenge, along with the safety concerns of how to move between clinics and accommodation can move without being killed or injured.” When the HI teams treat wounds, psychologists are there to support them. They use various methods to try to distract the patient, as there are hardly any anesthetics available. “War injuries caused by bombs, shells or rockets often require multiple operations. These procedures are currently not possible in the Gaza Strip and people have to wait a long time for a prosthesis,” explains Shaheen.

Many injured people will suffer permanent disability

“The medical teams in Gaza are overwhelmed by the situation and the lack of equipment and materials to adequately treat patients. The humanitarian situation can no longer be managed. Basically, there are only two functioning hospitals left and thousands of injured people are waiting “There is no doubt that many of those injured will suffer permanent disability,” said Federico Dessi, regional director of HI-Middle East. The current situation is chaotic. Many injured people flee in cars, horse-drawn carts or donkey carts. They arrive in overcrowded shelters with wounds that go untreated for days, causing life-threatening complications and infections. “People are constantly on the move, fleeing the violence and bombings, which makes any kind of follow-up care extremely difficult. In this situation, we are simply doing the best we can,” adds Shaheen.

Since October 7 and the escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and 69,000 injured in the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces. This offensive follows a massive Hamas attack on Israel in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 240 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken hostage.

Questions & Contact:

Huberta von Roedern
Head of press and public relations
Mail: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
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www.handicap-international.de

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