In Gaza, Medical Aid for Palestinians is committed to enhancing the surgical capacity in hospitals across the territory. To this end, in August 2015 MAP undertook an assessment of neurosurgical services in Gaza, to identify current service provision and gaps and needs for improving neurosurgery. The assessment was carried out by Sir Terence English, Professor Terence Hope, Mr. John Beavis, & Ms. Sara Halimah. This committee visited Shifa hospital in Gaza City and the European Gaza Hospital located in the southern city of Khan Younis.
This assessment is the first step toward establishing a neurosurgery project in Gaza, an area of medical service provision currently not covered by any other organisation. While both locations investigated in the report are well-equipped; significant needs were identified for skills and capacity building for staff in these hospitals.
Neurosurgery is a vital surgical service, the need for which in Gaza is highlighted by the large number of head injuries, complex spinal cord injuries, and trauma incidents caused by repeated military offensives on the territory.
You can read the full assessment in both Arabic and English.