Poverty and lockdown: double threat facing the elderly living with chronic diseases in Gaza.

M.N. is a 40-year-old man supporting two family members with chronic diseases. He spoke to Al Mezan about his family’s struggle with the lockdown:

“I live in Al Maghazi camp in Middle Gaza district. Following the Ministry of Health (MoH) statement about discovering coronavirus cases in Al Maghazi on Monday, 24 August 2020, the security services imposed a lockdown and closed all the camp’s entrances, markets, governmental and non-governmental institutions, including the UNRWA clinic. My father is 71 years old and has chronic hypertension, and my mother is 65 years old and suffers from hypertension and diabetes. They follow-up their treatment in Al Maghazi clinic, where they are both provided with prescription drugs on monthly basis. Unfortunately, the lockdown began on the day they were supposed to receive their monthly refill of medicines. I was worried about my parents; I had no money to buy their medicines from the pharmacy. I tried many times to call the emergency hotline number of the Ministry of Health but it was always busy. I call on all the governmental bodies, the UNRWA, and the international organizations to immediately intervene and provide treatment to the elderly and patients with chronic diseases without further delay.”

Renal failure patients’ lives in jeopardy

A.D. is a 32-year-old man who has been battling kidney disease for a decade told Al Mezan:

“I live with 11 family members. I don’t work because of my health condition as I’ve been suffering from kidney disease since 2010. On 5 May 2018, I had my first dialysis session at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. My health deteriorated and doctors had to increase the dialysis sessions to four times a week. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown, I heard that the Ministry of Health would secure transportation of patients with renal failure via ambulances from their homes to hospitals. I tried to contact the Ministry and other ambulance services but to no avail. I had a dialysis session on Wednesday 26 August 2020 and had to go on foot to the hospital to receive the treatment; I was barely able to walk. The next day, someone drove me to hospital. I don’t know if I’ll able to walk to the hospital for the next sessions.”