Health officials in Gaza warn of transportation and ambulance services suspension

The Director General of Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud Hammad, warned of the repercussions of the suspension of transportation and ambulance services, stressing that this would further complicate the already dire health situation.

Hammad added that hundreds of patients requiring specialized medical care, particularly cancer and kidney patients, would be unable to safely reach healthcare centers and departments, putting their lives at serious risk.

He explained that medical staff across the ministry’s various facilities rely primarily on transportation services chartered by the ministry to reach their workplaces, and no alternative transportation options are available.

Hammad urged all relevant parties to intervene immediately to provide the necessary maintenance supplies for buses and ambulances, including oil, spare parts, and tires, and to address the escalating crisis before transportation services completely cease.

These warnings come at a time when field reports confirm the continued deterioration of the ambulance system’s capabilities in the Gaza Strip due to shortages of spare parts, tires, and oil. The Ministry of Health and healthcare workers reported that a significant number of ambulances have been taken out of service, and the Ministry warned that the system is nearing complete paralysis if restrictions on the import of maintenance supplies continue.

Furthermore, staff at Nasser Medical Complex indicated that the severe shortage of equipment and spare parts is limiting the ability of ambulances to respond to emergencies and transport patients and the injured.