JERUSALEM, Wednesday, June 26, 2019 (WAFA) - The approval rate for Gaza patients seeking medical treatment in West Bank or East Jerusalem hospitals has declined by more than 10% since February, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.
It said in its monthly report on patient referrals that 1,341 patient permit applications (697 male; 644 female), or 61% of the total, were approved in May. A third of permits approved were for children under age of 18 and a fifth were for people aged 60 years or older.
There were 2,206 patient permit applications to cross Erez/Beit Hanoun border point between Gaza and Israel for healthcare in May with 29% were for children under age of 18, 15% were for patients aged 60 years or older, and 45% of applications were for female patients, with 94% of applications were for medical care funded by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Two-thirds (68%) of applications to cross Erez were for appointments in East Jerusalem hospitals and a fifth (19%) for West Bank hospitals, while 13% were for hospitals in Israel. The top five specialties accounted for 60% of permit applications: oncology (28%); pediatrics (9%); orthopedics (9%); cardiology (7%); hematology (7%). The remaining 40% were for 25 other specialties.
The WHO report said 178 patient applications (122 male; 56 female), or 8% of the total, were denied permits to cross Erez for healthcare in May. Those denied included 25 children under the age of 18 years and 13 patients aged 60 years or older. 22% of denied applications were for appointments in orthopedics, 20% for neurosurgery, 8% for ophthalmology, 7% for oncology and 6% for ENT. More than 90% of denied permit applications were for appointments at hospitals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
It added: 687 patient applications (388 male; 299 female), or 31% of the total, were delayed access to care, receiving no definitive response to their application by the date of their hospital appointment. Of these, 179 applications were for children under the age of 18 and 87 applications were for patients aged 60 years or older.
More than a fifth (22%) of those delayed had appointments for oncology, 12% for orthopedics, 9% for ophthalmology, 7% for pediatrics, 6% for cardiology, and 6% for neurosurgery. The remaining 38% were for 21 other specialties. 620 (90%) of delayed applications were ‘under study’ at the time of appointment; 32 (5%) were requested to send a new medical report; 9 were pending approval of companion; 4 were delayed due to relatives allegedly staying in the West Bank; and 2 were requested for treatment within Gaza.
As of 31 May 2019, according to Gaza’s Coordination and Liaison Office, there were 554 applications to Israeli authorities by those injured in demonstrations to exit Gaza via Erez crossing to access health care. The approval rate of this group is significantly lower than the overall approval rate for patient applications to exit Gaza, with only 18% approved, 27% were denied and 55% were delayed, said the report.
In May, a 43-year-old female patient suffering from ischemic heart disease was called for security interrogation as a prerequisite to traveling for healthcare. She was delayed, receiving no definitive response by the date of her hospital appointment.
As for application for patient companions, 1,151 (47%) were approved, 307 applications (13%) were denied and the remaining 968 (40%) were delayed, receiving no definitive response by the time of the patient’s appointment. Only one companion is permitted to accompany each Gaza patient and permits are conditional on security clearance.
M.K.
