Egypt is ensuring the readiness of the healthcare system in the North Sinai governorate and neighbouring areas to treat sick and injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
As the ceasefire of the war in Gaza went into effect on Sunday after 15 months of Israeli attacks, Egypt is ready to help the sick and injured. Around 110,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been injured in the conflict, with the World Health Organisation estimating that a quarter of that number is said to have been left with life-changing injuries.
Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar held an emergency meeting on 16 January with ministry leaders to emphasise the importance of providing all kinds of medical care to Palestinian patients crossing into Egypt from the Gaza Strip. Abdel-Ghaffar highlighted the necessity of verifying the capacity of referral hospitals to ensure the quality of services provided to Palestinians without affecting the standard of daily services provided in the hospitals.
The minister pointed out that while North Sinai hospitals are fully equipped with the most advanced medical equipment, there are critical cases that would require their transfer to hospitals in Greater Cairo, Port Said, Alexandria, Sharqiya, Kafr Al-Sheikh, Damietta, and Suez. “Some cases require the intervention of more than one specialisation,” he said, adding that if the number of injured exceeded the 500-bed capacity of North Sinai hospitals, they will be referred to hospitals in other governorates, each according to the situation.
Ambulances totalling 150 have been mobilised around the Rafah border crossing, Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population, pointed out. “Some 100 ambulances are tasked with transporting injured Palestinians to hospitals in North Sinai while the rest are ready to move quickly if needed to transport injured individuals to other governorates,” Abdel-Ghaffar said.
He said there will be a health quarantine at the Rafah crossing to categorise patients according to their condition and send patients to the suitable hospital. Also, all necessary vaccines are available, including the vaccines Sabin and Salk, as well as vaccines for measles, rubella, and mumps. Advanced medical equipment are also being used to determine body temperature, measure blood sugar, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation in the body, the spokesman said, adding that the process is not limited to initial screening alone; rapid tests are conducted for certain diseases of epidemiological importance to ensure the health of patients is monitored and to confirm they are free of any diseases that could pose a threat to public health.
North Sinai hospitals, according to spokesman Abdel-Ghaffar, are ready to receive the injured in Sheikh Zuweid, Arish, and Bir Al-Abd. “The hospitals have undergone comprehensive updates and development of their medical facilities to receive patients across all healthcare specialties. Sheikh Zuweid Central Hospital, the largest in North Sinai, has been equipped with 200 beds, and would receive patients with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, such as fractures, moderate burns, or chronic illnesses requiring immediate attention. “This facility is equipped to handle a high volume of patients and provides specialised care for moderate cases, including surgical procedures and post-operative care,” Abdel-Ghaffar said.
The Arish General Hospital, which has also been equipped with 200 beds, would be providing medical care for patients with life-threatening conditions such as severe trauma, burns, and organ failure, as it has the most advanced ICUs and trauma centres in the region. These cases are prioritised for urgent medical intervention, including surgeries and life-saving treatments.
There is also, according to spokesman Abdel-Ghaffar, Bir Al-Abd Hospital which has allocated 100 beds for Gazans and is equipped to handle moderate to severe medical cases such as cuts, bruises, and infections. It has also been provided with additional medical supplies and equipment to ensure efficient treatment. These patients receive prompt medical attention and are discharged with follow-up instructions for continued care.
Besides physical injuries, health officials are also ready to deal with the psychological impact of the war, including the displacement of Palestinian people. The ministry is prepared to provide mental health support to Gazan patients. Psychiatrists and psychologists are available in North Sinai hospitals to offer counselling and therapy to patients and their families. In addition, rehabilitation services, including physical therapy and occupational therapy, are being provided to patients recovering from injuries and surgeries. “These services are available at Arish General Hospital and Sheikh Zuweid Central Hospital which have rehabilitation units,” Abdel-Ghaffar said.
He said the ministry’s crisis management department is working in collaboration with all concerned entities to provide all forms of assistance.
In the meantime, head of the Doctors Syndicate Osama Abdel-Hai announced the opening of volunteer registrations for doctors willing to participate in treating injured Palestinians. Abdel-Hai said most doctors wanted to enter the Gaza Strip, but since this was not possible, only a symbolic number have entered. Abdel-Hai added that more than 2,000 doctors have registered to volunteer in support of the injured in Gaza.
Abdel-Hai told Al-Ahram Weekly that he had received a phone call from Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan welcoming the initiative. “Volunteering doctors have received logistical training at the Egyptian Red Crescent on how to operate in conflict zones,” Abdel-Hai said, and that Abu Ramadan informed him of Gaza’s need for doctors in all specialties, with urgent demand for surgeons, anesthetists, and orthopedic specialists.
Spokesman Abdel-Ghaffar said “more than 20,000 Palestinians, including those with serious injuries, and their companions from Gaza, have received treatment at Egyptian hospitals” and that numerous complex surgeries in various specialties have been performed for evacuees from Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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