Indonesian Hospital in Northern Gaza Struggles to Operate Amid Severe Electricity Shortages
Gaza, The Gulf Observer: The Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza continues to operate despite critical electricity shortages, according to the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C). During a virtual press conference on Monday, Dr. Dany Kurniadi Ramdhan, a MER-C volunteer, highlighted the urgent need to restore the hospital’s electricity supply to maintain essential services.
“The hospital is currently relying on the remaining solar panels, which are only producing up to 20 percent of their maximum capacity, and a power generator that depends heavily on fuel deliveries from the World Health Organization (WHO),” Dr. Ramdhan explained. The limited power supply has significantly hindered the hospital’s ability to provide optimal care for Palestinians injured in ongoing Israeli bombings.
Dr. Ramdhan noted that supplies of medicines, medical devices, and prostheses are running dangerously low. He recounted a recent incident from August 9, where a power outage occurred during surgery, forcing the medical team to continue the procedure using only a cellphone lamp for illumination.
The unstable electricity supply poses a risk to the hospital’s remaining medical devices, which are already compromised. Many critical pieces of equipment, including a CT scanner, ultrasound machine, and blood and hepatitis testing tools, have been damaged in the conflict. Furthermore, Israeli troops have occupied the hospital, turning it into a military base.
Despite the challenging conditions, Dr. Ramdhan assured that the hospital’s structural integrity remains intact, though the top two floors were burned in Israeli attacks. “Structurally, the building is still sound; there are just a few holes and fire damage from rockets and explosions that need to be repaired,” he stated.
He also mentioned that the access road to the hospital, previously blocked by the wreckage of burned vehicles, has been gradually cleared, allowing for better access to the facility.
The ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for international assistance to restore full functionality to the Indonesian Hospital, ensuring it can continue to serve the injured and maintain critical healthcare services in Gaza.
