An eye surgeon performing surgery in an operating room in Gaza.
Doha, Qatar: Amid escalating health and humanitarian challenges in the Gaza Strip, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), in partnership with its counterpart the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), has launched a vital project to support Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza.
The initiative aims to perform 850 eye surgeries and equip several medical facilities within the hospital to ensure the continuity of healthcare services for the wounded and sick.
The project activities include fully equipping two operating rooms at Al-Amal Hospital with all necessary tools and medical supplies for the ENT department, as well as providing surgical instruments and equipment for other departments. Additionally, comprehensive maintenance will be carried out on the two operating rooms to enhance their operational efficiency.
Highlighting the importance of this project, Dr. Akram Nassar, Director of QRCS’s office in Gaza, stated: “This new project is a direct response to the urgent need for eye treatment amid a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies caused by the war and the closure of crossings.
“It also involves operating two surgical rooms at the hospital to enable medical teams to provide continuous care for patients. Despite the challenging field conditions around Al-Amal Hospital, we strive with our partner PRCS to ensure these medical interventions as part of our humanitarian commitment to patients and to emphasize the importance of sustaining healthcare services despite the near-total collapse of the health system in Gaza.”
For his part, Nahid Blata, Chairman of the Administrative Committee of PRCS in Gaza and the North, said: “This project represents an extension of the fraternal relationship and ongoing partnership with our brothers at QRCS. We look forward to sustaining this cooperation to ensure the continuity of medical services for our people inside the homeland, especially given the immense challenges facing the health sector.” He noted that the ophthalmology surgical team has already begun performing the first and second batches of eye surgeries despite the current situation on the ground.
These efforts come at a time when the suffering of eye patients in Gaza is deepening. A recent statistic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health revealed that more than 1,500 people have completely lost their sight since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023, due to lack of treatment and malnutrition.
The project titled “Supporting Al-Amal Hospital of the Palestine by QRCS with a total cost of QR5.555m, offers a glimmer of hope for thousands of patients.
