Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah, Gaza Strip: Facts & Figures November 2024
On World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2024, the field hospital held activities for the children as well as the family and staff at the field hospital.
Military operations have continued, including in the south of the Gaza Strip, where the Red Cross Field Hospital continues to treat the sick and the wounded, responding to at least one mass casualty incident (MCI) every week – in addition to the normal caseload.
The MCIs also includes 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 Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) continues to play 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 roles in the field hospital.
Main statistics (since 9 May)
Patient Demographics
| No. males <5 | 7% |
| No. male 5-14 | 10% |
| No. male 15-17 | 4% |
| No. male = > 18 | 33% |
| No. females <5 | 6% |
| No. female 5-14 | 8% |
| No. female 15-17 | 3% |
| No. female = > 18 | 29% |
At the outpatient department (OPD), acute respiratory infections and injuries/burns make up the bulk of diagnoses. 38% of all patients seen at the OPD are children under the age of 18.
Surgeries
Since May 9, over 1,800 surgeries have been performed, comprised of general surgical interventions (approx. 50%), removal of dead or infected tissue (approx. 33%), and others (17%). The paediatric surgical cases were mostly required due to gunshot wounds.
Trends
The unavailability of nutritional food items such as chicken or eggs compromises patients’ recovery.
Challenges
Shortages of medication, syringes, and sterilization tools are an ongoing challenge that already impacts the sustainability of the hospital. For example, a shortage of the tetanus vaccine means those wounded by shrapnel may not get the full proper treatment. Given the shortage of painkillers, the field hospital gives a single dose of painkillers in the OPD to make it possible to treat several adult patients. Children aged 5 years and below, however, are still given the full course of painkillers or antibiotics as prescribed. Other shortages, such as chlorine testing tablets, necessitate prioritization of wards that need it most.
Map of the Red Cross Field Hospital
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.
