Description
STORY: WHO / GAZA NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX
TRT: 6:20
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 DECEMBER 2024, NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA
Shotlist
1. Various shots, exterior of the complex, with the joint WHO/Health Cluster team arriving and entering the complex
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative, Occupied Palestinian Territory:
“So currently, Nasser Medical Complex is the largest referral hospital in all of Gaza, and specifically in southern Gaza. It is operating, it's operational, and most of the medical specializations are actually present and functional. It's a remarkable and a remarkable achievement. And especially against many, many odds.”
3. Various shots, interior of the complex, showing clean & busy corridors, signage, wards, patients, health workers, and WHO team in discussion
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative, Occupied Palestinian Territory:
“The key challenges which we hear in all hospitals in Gaza is, of course, specific medical supplies, medical equipment, specifically medical imaging equipment, which is not available. Some of the essential medicines, some of the basic essential management which are not there in regular supply, but also, and that is surprising to hear; very basic things like paper, A4 paper, there's no paper so, the hospital and the health workers, there's no patient file, which of course is not helping quality of care. Also, for the generators, what is needed is generator oil and specific spare parts for the generator. WHO is also trying to procure that; the generator oil, spare parts for the generator, etc, A4 paper. Unfortunately, some of those supplies are not allowed in. This has to change because the hospital cannot run without a functional generator.”O
11 DECEMBER 2024, MSF REHABILITATION FIELD WARD, NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, KHAN YOUNIS
5. Various shots of patients receiving care from health workers; electrical stimulation therapy, dressing changes, splints/supports being applied to an arm, exercises on a leg amputated below the knee
6. Med shot, Shadad Okel
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Shadad Okel, Patient in Rehabilitation:
“I was driving the car, then a house nearby was hit; me and everyone in the car got injured.”
8. Wide shot, external fixator on Shadad Okel left arm
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Shadad Okel, Patient in Rehabilitation:
“I come here to the MSF (clinic) day-after-day for physical therapy.”
10. Various shots, Abdul Hamid Qardai in discussion with hospital staff and WHO team.
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdul Hamid Qardai, Director of physiotherapy, MSF:
“Most of the difficulties we are facing currently are related to the supplies required for the rehabilitation process. For example, we no longer work in places or departments that are built according to the requirements of the physiotherapy service. In addition, we have a big problem with assistive devices such as crutches, wheelchairs, and other necessary material that are required for the rehabilitation process, some certain kinds of bandages, and other certain types used in exercise. And therefore, we need to adapt to the situation in order for us to be able to treat this huge number of injured people who visit us on a daily bases.”
11 DECEMBER 2024, WHO FIELD HOSPITAL WARDS, NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, KHAN YOUNIS
12. Wide shot, WHO team and health workers walking towards the WHO field hospital
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr Atef Mohammed Al-Hamoud, Director General of Nasser Medical Complex:
“We were able to completely re-open the entire hospital with all its departments. The number of beds was 350 and we were able to expand it to 500, and due to the high number of incoming patients, and the admitting rate at the hospital exceeding 200 percent, we needed to expand again, and thanks to the World Health Organization for providing 88 beds, and a field hospital to raise the total number of beds in the entire complex to 588.”
14. Various shots, the WHO field hospital wards constructed in the grounds of the hospital.
Storyline
The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to support the health system by working jointly with the health facilities, national and international health partners, and rebuilding hospitals after devastating blows.
Recently, thanks to the support of WHO and partners, the inpatient capacity at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis was expanded, to ease congestion in the emergency room, enhance trauma care and rehabilitation for complex cases. The hospital continues to face shortages of medical supplies, even the most basic ones, such as gauze and bandages to extend dressing change intervals and heightening infection risks.
Gaza’s only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation centre, located in Nasser Medical Complex and supported by WHO, became non-functional in December 2023 due to lack of supplies and specialized health workers being forced to leave in search of safety, and was later left damaged following a raid in February 2024.
WHO estimates that at least one quarter of those injured in Gaza have life-changing injuries that require rehabilitation services now and for years to come, which represents about 25,000 people based on the latest number of injuries. Severe limb injuries are the main driver of the need for rehabilitation. Immediate and long-term support is urgently needed to address the enormous rehabilitation needs.