By Lia Tarachansky, The Real News Network– 16 April 2012
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=8199
Thousands are forced to seek emergency care in Egypt and Israel after Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip as healthcare system in crisis.
In 2011, over 9,000 patients from Gaza received emergency care in Israeli hospitals. Many of the admitted were injured in Israeli attacks on the strip. In August, The Real News’ Lia Tarachansky spoke with Muhammad Zaza, a fifteen year old who was hit by a drone missile near the Wafa hospital in the northern Gaza Strip while playing with his 12 year-old cousin (who did not survive).
Last week, Muhammad and his father Ataf returned to Gaza after fourteen surgeries and nearly eight months in Israeli hospitals. In this story, Tarachansky speaks to Kifah Abdul Halim the director of Physicians for Human Rights’ occupied Palestinian territories division and Dr. Khamis al-Essi who works in the emergency department of one of Gaza biggest hospitals about why Gaza’s healthcare system fails to treat the thousands of injured who are forced to seek treatment outside the strip.
