First UK-funded field hospital opens in Gaza
The establishment is situated close to Rafah, a place where 1.5 million individuals of Palestinian descent are living in close quarters. These individuals had to leave their former residences in other parts of Gaza.
The inaugural British-funded medical facility in Gaza is set to be operational within a few days, offering healthcare for a range of conditions, starting from minor ailments to injuries caused by gunfire.
UK Med, a charity that sends numerous workers from the NHS to help in global crises, established it.
The establishment is located close to Rafah, which is home to 1.5 million Palestinians who have migrated from other regions of Gaza and live in overcrowded conditions.
. David Wightwick, CEO of UK Med, expressed to the BBC that the magnitude of the necessity is overwhelming.
He spoke despite the loud sounds of hammers and banging due to the ongoing construction in the sandy desert of Al Mawasi.
There are hardly any facilities available and the quality of healthcare has diminished so much that if you become unwell, injured or sick, it can be extremely challenging for you.
According to David Wightwick, the CEO of UK Med, the amount of assistance required is "astonishing."
The mobile hospital, sent from Manchester, is planned to be as large as two football fields, but initiating the project has presented challenges.
David and his team utilized damaged local buildings to construct new structures after UK Med trucks were delayed at the border.
He mentioned that acquiring the land required an extensive round of negotiations, as did the process of transporting goods across the border.
Finding employees has been difficult. Additionally, communication has proven to be a challenge as the phones and internet are not functioning properly. However, it is crucial to ensure that all necessary life-saving services are provided to the community, and all efforts are being made to make it happen.
The group is already attending to approximately 100 patients on a daily basis at the temporary hospital and anticipate that number to increase twofold in the near future.
The mobile clinics initiated by UK Med are operational in the Gaza community. According to David, they observed instances of acute malnutrition in infants.
A group of surgeons from a relief organization are currently operating in the disordered environment of Al Aqsa hospital - which is the sole functioning hospital in the heart of the Gaza Strip.
The hospital is crowded with patients, as well as families seeking refuge who have settled on the ground. It's difficult to maneuver through the wards and hallways, but during our visit, we encountered a 12-year-old boy named Anas who was being transported to the operating room for treatment of a broken leg and facial injuries.
According to Anas, he was in the middle of playing when his local area was hit by an explosive attack.
He got hurt, and his mom and infant sibling of half a year lost their lives. He expressed, "May the souls of my loved ones rest in peace by the grace of God."
. Judith Kendall, an anaesthetist, is surprised by the high number of injured kids she has come across.
Saba Papuashvili, a trauma surgeon specializing in orthopaedics from the UK, was present in the operating room, anticipating the arrival of Anas. "This young lad is full of courage," he praised.
The operation was successful. Anas is expected to heal, but the group of medical professionals witnessed the severe consequences of war firsthand, as stated by Judith Kendall, the anesthesiologist.
Over the last nine years, the lady disclosed to the BBC that she had experienced serving in numerous conflict zones. This place, however, was unique as she was startled by the high frequency of kids injured and the gravity of the harm. These damages will forever change the lives of the children.
The hospitals in Gaza are not only experiencing a high volume of patients, but they are also being subjected to assaults from Israeli military. Israel argues that hospitals are being utilized by Hamas as protection, but health authorities and medical personnel deny these allegations.
Mark Shaw, who has previously worked in Ukraine and is from West Yorkshire, stated that the UK Med team comprehends the peril.
He stated that we acknowledge the potential dangers involved, and we are willing to take on those risks in order to provide help in a compassionate manner. At present, the most severe forms of harm that we are encountering are the loss of limbs and injuries sustained from explosions, particularly in minor children.
In Al Mawasi, additional trucks have made their way to the location, and a new hangar has also been assembled.
If Israel follows through with their threat of a ground invasion in Rafah, the British field hospital may become extremely important.
