RAMALLAH, August 13, 2018 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Health rushed on Monday from its Ramallah warehouses three months-worth of medicine supplies for cancer patients in the besieged Gaza Strip after it became aware on Sunday that there is a sharp decline in cancer treatment medicine.

The ministry said in a statement that it regularly and on monthly basis sends shipments of medicines to its warehouses in the Gaza Strip, including medicine for cancer patients, worth about $1.4 million, including the shipment sent out on Monday.

It said it was not aware of the shortage of these medicines because it does not have total control over the ministry offices in Gaza, adding that once it became aware of the problem it acted to provide the necessary medication directly to the hospitals.

It stressed that it was never late in sending cancer treatment medicine to patients in the Gaza Strip, but that officials there should have informed the ministry in advance and in official correspondence if they were about to run out of this important type of medicine in order to provide it in time in order not to endanger the life of cancer patients.

It stressed that in the case of running out of any type of medicine, and for the interest of patients, the ministry would instruct patients to get their medicine from any clinic in town and at the ministry’s expense.

K.T./M.K.