RAMALLAH, October 11, 2016 (WAFA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday said that August permit application by Gaza patients seeking hospital treatment in Jerusalem, the West Bank or inside Israel was the highest ever in number but lowest approval rate in seven years.
It said 60.3% of patient permit applications to exist Gaza through Erez (Beit Hanoun) crossing for hospital appointments in August were approved, making it the lowest rate of approval since May 2009.
In a summary report about the status of Gaza’s patients’ referrals and access to health, WHO said while 2,394 patients applied to receive permits in August, 186 patients (7.8%) were denied permits, including five children and 16 elderly persons over 60 years.
Another 764 patients (32%) received no response, including 199 children and 88 elderly people over 60, it added.
The report also indicated that companions’ approval rate was lower than patients’ approval rate leaving many patients without a companion.
The approval rate for permit applications of patients’ companions reached 51.2%; 8.6% of the companions were denied and the remaining 40.2% applications were pending.
WHO found out that at least 1 in 2 patient companions were denied access or delayed at a checkpoint; a father from Gaza who took his 10-year-old daughter to hospital, was detained at Erez and released after 6 days.
A total of 24 patients, including four females, were requested by the General Security Services for interviews at Erez during August. Four were approved and the rest were pending.
Meanwhile, of 10 requests by humanitarian health workers to pass through Erez checkpoint, six were approved, three denied and one pending.
Palestinian officials at Rafah crossing with Egypt terminal reported that the Rafah border terminal was open for exit on two days only in August, and restricted to pilgrims.
The report showed that no patients were allowed to travel for health reasons to Egypt. No medical delegates or medical aid entered Gaza through Egypt during the month.
The Ministry of Health issued 1,967 referrals for 1,918 patients in August to outside care with an estimated cost of $2.37 million.
The top five needed specialties for Gaza patients were in oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, ophthalmology and hematology.
M.H./M.A.
