Dr. Jazidal-Adżluni, a maxillofacial surgeon, describes the dire situation in Gaza’s Al-Aksa hospital, where he operates on wounded Palestinians daily without adequate medical supplies.
Dr. Jazidal-Adżluni, a maxillofacial surgeon working in Gaza’s Al-Aksa hospital, describes the situation as “war medicine,” a new science that requires improvisation due to a lack of tools and materials. The hospital, designed for 150 beds, currently houses 300-400 patients, with critical shortages of medicines, instruments, and sterile conditions.
The hospital’s power supply is precarious, relying on an aggregate that only works when fuel is available. Access to water is also severely limited, with only a few liters available per day. Dr. al-Adżluni, who works with the Polish Medical Mission and Project HOPE, notes that these conditions make it challenging to maintain even basic hygiene.
Doctors in Gaza are primarily focused on treating the wounded, with most injuries caused by explosions and shrapnel. Amputations are common due to the lack of equipment to save limbs. Patients of all ages, including women, men, and children, arrive with injuries to their faces, eyes, abdomens, and legs.
The situation in Gaza is further complicated by widespread hunger, with daily cases of starvation-related deaths. Even those who are not starving are often undernourished, exacerbating existing health conditions, particularly in children. The ongoing Israeli offensive is expected to worsen the situation, with thousands of people displaced and injured.
Doctors working in Gaza, funded by the Polish Medical Mission, arrive by land from Jordan with limited equipment and supplies. They face strict controls on what they can bring, including a cash limit of 250 euros. The missions aim to provide critical medical care, but the lack of resources and infrastructure hampers their efforts.