Dr. Sukkar, a GP working with Médecins Sans Frontières, shares her harrowing account of the challenges she faces as she serves thousands in a makeshift clinic amidst a humanitarian crisis caused by prolonged warfare.
Gaza's Healthcare Crisis: A Doctor's Struggle Amid Ongoing Conflict
Gaza's Healthcare Crisis: A Doctor's Struggle Amid Ongoing Conflict
In Gaza, healthcare is collapsing under the weight of relentless conflict, as illustrated by the daily experiences of Dr. Wissam Sukkar.
Gaza's health crisis has left thousands in urgent need of care, with daily struggles for clean water and food becoming commonplace for its residents, including medical professionals.
Dr. Sukkar says life in Gaza feels "like a nightmare that doesn't end." Amid months of war, local healthcare is in disarray, with many physicians trying to cope. This is illustrated by her journey to a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinic, which takes her 50 minutes on foot through badly damaged streets due to scarce fuel supply. The absence of taxis only exacerbates the predicament.
The World Health Organization reports that only 21 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza remain partially operational, while a blockade by Israel has severely limited medical supplies. Dr. Sukkar reflects on her former office—the now bombed-out MSF burn clinic that once served many. Her team has relocated to an office, which they have converted into a clinic, and by the time she arrives at 09:30, around 150 patients wait outside in a tent for assistance.
"Most of our patients are displaced people," says Dr. Sukkar. They are victims of a war that has forced many to seek shelter in unsafe conditions. Since a ceasefire faltered a month ago, the influx into her neighborhood has increased, bringing with it hunger, sickness, and an urgent need for medical attention.
Dr. Sukkar notes the rise of malnutrition and various diseases in children, who often crowd into smaller living spaces, and she identifies upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal issues as significant problems. The use of open fires for cooking has also caused serious burn injuries.
Despite her team’s tireless efforts, the medical staff feels overwhelmed, with increasing patient numbers and dwindling supplies. Critically injured patients flood the clinic from areas like al-Ahli Arab hospital, which was attacked after it allegedly housed Hamas operational centers. With the hospital incapacitated, Dr. Sukkar's clinic is inundated with complicated cases and very few resources to manage them.
Saaed Barkat, an injured man with a fractured thigh, recounts being moved between hospitals that came under fire. His concerns resonate with many; the shelves in Dr. Sukkar's pharmacy are running dangerously low, lacking essential treatments for chronic conditions like diabetes and epilepsy.
Another significant issue is the isolation imposed by closed borders, with no aid allowed into Gaza since early March. "We don’t have insulin, we don't have anti-fever medication," Dr. Sukkar states emphatically, noting that vital antibiotics and treatments for skin infections and parasites are also absent.
At the close of the day, the clinic has seen approximately 390 patients, but Dr. Sukkar is burdened by thoughts of her family, displaced multiple times over the past year and a half. She expresses the ongoing struggle to find basic necessities, including clean water and food. The persistent absence of electricity and limited resources weigh heavily on her spirit.
"In this environment, it's challenging to find hope," Dr. Sukkar admits. As she leaves her clinic, speaking of her desperate wishes for an end to the conflict, she wonders aloud, "When will this war end?" Her fate and that of many others in Gaza remains uncertain, with no immediate answer or relief in sight.
Dr. Sukkar says life in Gaza feels "like a nightmare that doesn't end." Amid months of war, local healthcare is in disarray, with many physicians trying to cope. This is illustrated by her journey to a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinic, which takes her 50 minutes on foot through badly damaged streets due to scarce fuel supply. The absence of taxis only exacerbates the predicament.
The World Health Organization reports that only 21 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza remain partially operational, while a blockade by Israel has severely limited medical supplies. Dr. Sukkar reflects on her former office—the now bombed-out MSF burn clinic that once served many. Her team has relocated to an office, which they have converted into a clinic, and by the time she arrives at 09:30, around 150 patients wait outside in a tent for assistance.
"Most of our patients are displaced people," says Dr. Sukkar. They are victims of a war that has forced many to seek shelter in unsafe conditions. Since a ceasefire faltered a month ago, the influx into her neighborhood has increased, bringing with it hunger, sickness, and an urgent need for medical attention.
Dr. Sukkar notes the rise of malnutrition and various diseases in children, who often crowd into smaller living spaces, and she identifies upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal issues as significant problems. The use of open fires for cooking has also caused serious burn injuries.
Despite her team’s tireless efforts, the medical staff feels overwhelmed, with increasing patient numbers and dwindling supplies. Critically injured patients flood the clinic from areas like al-Ahli Arab hospital, which was attacked after it allegedly housed Hamas operational centers. With the hospital incapacitated, Dr. Sukkar's clinic is inundated with complicated cases and very few resources to manage them.
Saaed Barkat, an injured man with a fractured thigh, recounts being moved between hospitals that came under fire. His concerns resonate with many; the shelves in Dr. Sukkar's pharmacy are running dangerously low, lacking essential treatments for chronic conditions like diabetes and epilepsy.
Another significant issue is the isolation imposed by closed borders, with no aid allowed into Gaza since early March. "We don’t have insulin, we don't have anti-fever medication," Dr. Sukkar states emphatically, noting that vital antibiotics and treatments for skin infections and parasites are also absent.
At the close of the day, the clinic has seen approximately 390 patients, but Dr. Sukkar is burdened by thoughts of her family, displaced multiple times over the past year and a half. She expresses the ongoing struggle to find basic necessities, including clean water and food. The persistent absence of electricity and limited resources weigh heavily on her spirit.
"In this environment, it's challenging to find hope," Dr. Sukkar admits. As she leaves her clinic, speaking of her desperate wishes for an end to the conflict, she wonders aloud, "When will this war end?" Her fate and that of many others in Gaza remains uncertain, with no immediate answer or relief in sight.
