Emergency & Humanitarian Relief

Medical Supplies for the Abdel Shafi Community Health Association in Gaza

The Israeli military bombardment of Gaza from 5-7 August 2022 (the worst since May 2021), affected densely populated areas of Rafah, Khan Younis, Beit Hanoun, and Al Shujiya.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 49 Palestinians were killed, including 17 children; and 360 were injured, including at least 151 children; with damage to approximately 2,000 housing units;^[1]450 Palestinians were internally displaced; and 8,500 people were impacted by the damages.^[2]

These sudden attacks left Gaza’s population of more than 2.1 million people trapped and without essential supplies, as Israel had also closed the crossings into and out of Gaza. With no fuel allowed into Gaza, the main power plant closed on 6 August. It was not able to re-open until the afternoon of 8 August with all hospitals required to reduce their services and resort to using their own generators. This particularly impacted intensive care units, oxygen-generating stations and baby units.

Welfare Association immediately launched an emergency appeal. Thanks to very generous support we were able to provide emergency medical supplies to the Abdel Shafi Community Health Association (ACHA) in Gaza City; a Palestinian non-governmental organisation (NGO), established in 1972 (previously known as Red Crescent Society-Gaza Strip).^[3]ACHA is a specialised NGO providing health services and medical care for patients, as well as emergency medical services for those injured in Gaza in times of crisis.

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This project was planned to rapidly provide urgently needed medical and disposable supplies, for the replenishment of depleted stocks and the continuation of vital services provision to the local community at a time of great need.

The project contributed to enabling ACHA to sustain their provision of health services and medical care for people in need. The items supplied in this project were used to treat 6,045 patients in the various departments and clinics of the health association: Emergency, Orthopaedic, Thoracic, Abdominal, Diabetes clinic, Oncology clinic, Brain & Nerve clinic, Diagnostic Radiology, and Dental departments (65% of beneficiaries were female).