Random Musings From Gaza City

• Dozens of ambulances like the one above were hit. The ambulance depot was destroyed.
  
• Anesthesiologist, Dr. Ismail Mehr participated in a mandible resection. He worked with another volunteer surgeon from abroad.
  
• While touring a medical facility, Dr. Imran Qureshi was quickly able to make a diagnosis by CT Scan, in a suspected stroke patient. Fortunately, Dr. Qureshi was at hand as there was no other Radiologist in the hospital. There are only 2 CT scanners in all of Gaza--for a population of 1.5 million. In comparison, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN has 23 scanners of its own.
  
• Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Shariq Sayeed is in high demand. He constructed fistulas for Dialysis patients. There are few, if any physicians able to perform this in Gaza. Alot of long-term and chronic care needs have been put on hold to deal with acute trauma cases. The American team's expertise is helping with this.
  
• The Palestinians have been extremely hospitable to the American-led contingent. Although the group is sponsored by IMANA, the team will treat all patients regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion. Whether Arab or Israeli, the doctors view the patient as a person, and will heal and help in any way they can.

An Apparent Need

After being able to enter into Gaza through the Egyptian border and arriving at Al-Shifa Hosptial, the team of American doctors has provided more detailed news of the medical needs of the wounded.

We have been told through Gazan officials that of the estimated 6000 injured, approximately 13% will require an amputation.

The Israeli strikes have left a clear long term need for a team of multidisciplinary professionals, including Physical Rehabilitation, Specialization in Amputation, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapist, Pain Management and Prosthesis Fitting.

This team would be required to be in place in about 2 months. Ideally, any group of medical professionals assembled would stay a duration of a few weeks--to treat the patients as well as provide medical training, to local physicians and therapists in order to continue the rehabilitation and therapy.

It has become apparent that along with requirement of a greater number of medical professionals to treat amputees - there is a need of additional prosthetics and medical resources.

Prior to the recent Israeli siege, medical staff in Gaza did not have a great need for providing care to amputees and so they are not properly equipped or trained to deal with the estimated 750-800 resulting amputees.

Mostafa, a physical therapist at El-Wafa Medical Rehab Hospital, mentioned that 90% of the current medical care needs in Gaza are surgical: Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Interventional Caridology and Eye Surgery.

With the current number of wounded at 6000, I am unable to comprehend how the limited surgical wards, 1900 government inpatient beds, and single Ophthalmology hospital will be able to handle the volume of injured.

I did not know what the team would expect upon arriving into Gaza - their presence and purpose there is to treat the wounded, and to assist local doctors. But the apparent and urgent needs of Gaza from the Israeli strikes have also made it a priority to disseminate information about the medical insufficiencies and to request further assistance for region. My heart has softened as I hear the news of those severely wounded by shrapnel, and by those people such as Mostafa, who work tirelessly with little resources."

I will continue to bring updates of our mission.

Mansoor Khadir is assisting remotely from the United States, the American Medical Mission to Gaza