Photo courtesy of MSF
I have always looked at MSF as the canary in the coal mine of humanitarian aid. If they say it is getting bad then other folks should start lining up. They don’t stray far from their mandate of providing medical aid in the world’s worst situations. Gaza did not is not on their Top Ten Humanitarian Crises even thoug they were working there full time. Now, in light of recent events they have switched into emergency mode and is attempting to get additional medical teams into Gaza. From their site:
More than a week after the first air strikes on Gaza Strip and following the beginning of the land incursion of Israeli forces, surgical services are overwhelmed and in need of surgeons specialised in vascular surgery in order to deal with the number of wounded. In Gaza city, the intensive care unit of Shifa referral hospital has reached the limits of its capacity. The insecurity is preventing patients needing post operative follow up and health personnel from reaching health structures.
Three MSF expatriate volunteers – a field coordinator, doctor and nurse) arrived in Gaza Strip on Wednesday, December 31, to reinforce the local teams composed of 35 health personnel.
