Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah, Gaza Strip: Facts & Figures December 2024
Killed in line of duty
On 4 December 2024, the Movement lost Alaa Al-Derawi, a staff member of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) was shot and killed on a return trip after successfully transferring a patient from the field hospital to the European Gaza Hospital. Alaa recently started working closely with the Red Cross Field Hospital as a PRCS Emergency Medical Service paramedic. Alaa leaves behind his wife, one boy and one girl, in addition to his sister’s family that has depended on him since her husband’s death a few months prior.
Conflict situation
Military operations near the Field Hospital continue. On 15 November 2024, the Field Hospital received 20 patients following an attack near the “Fish Fresh” market approximately 500 meters from the hospital. Nearly weekly occurrence of mass casualty incidents (MCI) in October reinforced the need to have regular trainings/refreshers for MCI protocols.
MCIs necessitate working together with other health-care facilities, such as the Nasser Medical Complex (for admission to the intensive care unit), Al Aqsa, and the European Gaza Hospital. The PRCS plays a key role in patient transfers between the field hospital and aforementioned partner hospitals, psycho-social support services for patients and their families, as well as other departments within the field hospital.
Main statistics (since 9 May)
Patient demographics
The number of patients seen at the outpatient department (OPD) has been growing steadily over the past few months: 37% of all patients seen are children under the age of 18; 31% that are under 14.
Surgeries
Since May 9, over 2,100 surgical procedures have been performed including general surgical interventions (approx. 52%), removal of dead or infected tissue (approx. 36%), and others (12%).
Challenges
Teams continue to ration as many resources as possible, but shortages of medication remains an ongoing challenge that impacts the continuity of care sustainability. The lack of availability, accessibility, and/or affordability of food in the local market is also a direct cause for delayed recovery for patients during their stay as well as after they are discharged.
A Red Cross and Red Crescent response
The Red Cross Field Hospital is implemented in coordination with the Palestine Red Crescent Society and supported by Red Cross Societies of Australia, Austria, Canada, China (Hong Kong branch), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
