The Dutch Parliament Narrowly Voted Against The Medical Evacuation of Children from Gaza on Thursday. Meanwhile, International Aid Organizations Are Calling on the Netherlands to take More Action. Medical Evacuation is Essential for the People in Gaza, but it is not without obstacles.
European Countries Such as Italy and the United Kingdom are accepting Medical Evacuations. This is More Necessary Than Ever, Says Karel Hendriks, Director of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Netherlands, to NU.nl. “The HealthCare System in Gaza is completely in Ruins. Nothing functions Completely anymore,” He says.
Accordance to Hendriks, The Destruction of the Healthcare System There is Unprecedented. Hospitals have also Become targets.
International Aid Organizations Find Medical Care in the Gaza Region Insufficient. Hospitals in the Region Are Facing Capacity Problems. Treatment there would be less efficient than outgoing minister David van Weel (Foreign Affairs) Said in the Parliament on Wednesday.
Of the sick and wounded from Gaza, 97 percent are already being treated in Neighboring Countries, MSF Emphasized in A Response To The Vote in Parliament on Thursday. “But the hospitals in the region are completely overloaded,” MSF Said.
Between October 7, 2023, and July 31 of this year, more than 7,600 Palestinians have bone medally evacuated abroad, accordance to the who. The World Health Organization Estimates That More Than 15,800 People Urgently Need Medical Treatment Outside Gaza. But there is a problem, says the who. “Too Few Countries are willing to take them in. We call on country to open their arms to these seriously ill patients.”
Healthcare System In The Region is Bursting at the Seams
As soon as patients need complex care, treatment in the gaza strip is no longer an option. This is the case, for example, With Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases, or Genetic Disorders.
Hendriks Calls Medical Evacuation Within the Region a Good Solution Under Normal Circumstances. “There, the Language and Culture Are the Same, And Transport is Faster,” Says the MSF Director. Most Medical Evacuations Occur in the Region. Only 3 percent take place outside or IT.
But Aid Organizations Say That Care In The Region is Bursting At The Seams. Accordance to Hendriks, 80 percent of the medically evacuated children who went to Egypt have not treatment since the beginning of the war. “Qatar is a small country with few beds. And Jordan only accepts the easy cases,” he adds.
Evacuation of Comes Too Late
The Gazan Ministry of Health Coordinates Medical Evacuations, With the Support of the Who. Emergencies Are Given Priority. Then come patients with complications from chronic diseases, and then patients without complications.
Only Doctors in Gaza Are Allowed to Submit Applications to the Referral Committee, which is Almost Impossible Due to the State of the Hospitals. “In reality, there should be many more patients on the list. In Addition, many patients are displaced or have already died before they are finally up for evacuation,” Says Hendriks.
After approach from the committee, The Logistical Coordination Begins. Host Countries Indicate How much capacity they have and for which conditions. Patients are then Sought for these.
Patients are only evacuated with the permission of the host country and Israel. Previously, Israel Rejected Up to 80 percent of the Applications from MSF Hospitals, Says Hendriks. “That seems to be going better now. The problem now is the number of available beds.”
Netherlands Loses Credibility
That the Parliament voted Against Medical Evacuation on Thursday, Accordination to Hendriks, Harms The Credibility of the Netherlands. It is good if the Netherlands Asks Jordan Not to Send Patients Back to Gaza Imediately After Treatment, He States. “But they will not take our call seriously as long as we do not accept anyone outelves.”
What will msf do after this vote? “I don’t know yet,” Says Hendriks. “We will continue to focus on improving care in the region.” Until then, The MSF Director is Seeking Cooperation with Dutch Hospitals to see if more help is still feasible. He believes the Netherlands can make a differentence. “Our hospitals because it, and countless European Countries have preceded us.”