RAMALLAH, May 23, 2026 (WAFA) – During his field visit last week, Minister of Health Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan held a series of meetings with departments involved in the ministry’s emergency response team, led by Health Ministry Undersecretary Dr. Wael Al-Sheikh, to assess the availability of medicines and medical supplies amid the worsening financial crisis and mounting pressure on the healthcare sector.
The cell includes the General Directorate of Pharmacy, the General Directorate of Financial Affairs, the General Directorate of Central Warehouses, and the General Directorate of Hospitals.
In a statement, the Ministry confirmed that the current crisis is affecting all components of the health sector in the West Bank, including government, private, and NGO hospitals, as well as suppliers of medicines and medical supplies, due to accumulated debt and irregular payments.
The Ministry warned that hundreds of vital medicines and medical supplies have reached critically low levels, including life-saving drugs, cancer medications, and dialysis drugs, posing a direct threat to the continuity of healthcare services.
It affirmed that the crisis cell is working around the clock to closely monitor medicine stocks, prepare a comprehensive assessment of urgent needs and risks, and develop emergency solutions to ensure the continuation of medical services.
The Ministry warned that the ongoing crisis, exacerbated by reduced working hours and strikes, is worsening the strain on the health sector and threatening the continued provision of essential medical care.
It called upon the international community and humanitarian and human rights organizations to intervene urgently and immediately to ensure the entry of medicines and medical supplies and prevent the collapse of the health system in the West Bank. It emphasized that targeting the financial resources of the Palestinian people constitutes collective punishment that violates the fundamental right to treatment and life.
The Ministry praised the efforts of the Palestinian government, headed by Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, particularly the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance, in their intensive work to mobilize international support, mitigate the severity of the crisis, and attempt to contain it.
It concluded its statement by emphasizing that the continued withholding of funds from the Palestinian people directly impacts the lives of patients, threatens the right to treatment, and necessitates urgent and responsible international intervention to save the health system from collapse.
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