Health in the Gaza Strip

Years of socioeconomic decline, conflict and closure have left the health sector across the Gaza Strip lacking adequate physical infrastructure and training opportunities. Facilities are overstretched, and service is frequently interrupted by power cuts. These challenges further threaten the health of the population, which is already at increasing risk. Food insecurity and rising poverty mean that most residents cannot meet their daily caloric requirements, while over 90 per cent of the water in Gaza has been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Through 22 centres, UNRWA provides health-care services to the vast majority of the over 1.2 million Palestine refugees in Gaza.  We also provide clinic and laboratory services, along with personalized maternal health and family planning, in all our health centres. Radiology services are available at 6 centres, and dental services at 21.

Across the Gaza Strip, psychological trauma, poverty and environmental degradation have had a negative impact on residents’ physical and mental health; many, including children, suffer from anxiety, distress and depression. In order to assist those most affected, we established special education needs (SEN) clinics in several of our health centres. UNRWA placed psychosocial counsellors in several schools to support children dealing with a range of problems, including fear of violence, sleeplessness, a lack of motivation in school or the inability to concentrate.

in Figures

• Registered population accessing UNRWA health services: 1,224,383 (96.9%)
• Primary health care (PHC) facilities: 22
• Total outpatient consultations for general physicians: 4,418,452
• Total outpatient consultations for specialists: 96,796
• Average daily medical consultations per doctor: 113
• Total dental screening consultations: 90,660
• Laboratory tests: 2,113,481
• Plain x-rays:within UNRWA: 36,165
• Health staff:  1,016

Physical rehabilitation

• Trauma patients: 3,691,
• Non-trauma patients:  7,654

family planning

• New family planning users: 11,058
• Continuing family planning users: 59,001

• Deliveries in health institutions: 99.9%

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) patients registered with UNRWA

• Total: 60,900
• Diabetes mellitus type I: 1,050
• Diabetes mellitus type II: 11,365
• Hypertension: 30,786
• Diabetes mellitus and hypertension: 21,699