Bethlehem/PNN/

On World Health Day, PNGO Health Sector calls on the international community to work to stop the Israeli occupation violations against the Palestinian's right to health.

On World Health Day, the health sector within the Palestinian Non-governmental Organizations Network (PNGO), appealed to relevant international community organizations to help stop all forms of Israeli occupation violations against the Palestinian health system.

The sector also calls on the international community to help guarantee proper health care for the Palestinian people, based on international health-related conventions and standards.

On the health services, provided by both governmental and non-governmental organizations, PNGO urges such organizations to maintain a partnership that would enable them to encounter health challenges.

In terms of Israeli occupation violations against the Gaza Strip-based patients, PNGO's health sector points out that the occupation authority has not promptly responded to requests for permits to leave for treatment outside the Gaza Strip, filed to Israeli occupation authorities by Gaza patients and those escorting them.

Because of Israeli procrastination to issue travel permits, many of those Gaza patients, died before they were able to get access to treatment, outside of the territory.

PNGO blames Israeli occupation authorities for restriction and denial of the entry of medical supplies and medicines to Gaza.

Furthermore, the health sector of PNGO pointed out the status of the Palestinian political prisoners inside Israeli jails, exposed to deliberate harm, and endured medical negligence that has put many of the prisoners' lives at risk.

PNGO's health sector calls for establishing a well-organized health insurance policy that would help all Palestinian individuals, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to medical care.

On this particular occasion, PNGO's health sector hails all medical staff in the Gaza Strip for what PNGO believes to be the staff's vital role in responding to the Israeli occupation's frequent offensives on Gaza and most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.

The economic and psychosocial conditions in the Gaza Strip are deteriorated, with high rates of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity, the sector believes that the Israeli occupation, internal Palestinian political split, and the slow response by the international community in addition to the Covid-19 crisis, particularly in marginalized areas of Gaza, have all contributed to worsening health conditions, across the tiny coastal region.

Amidst such a situation, PNGO strongly believes that intervention by relevant international organizations has become imperative. Therefore, PNGO calls on all those bodies to help support health institutions and rebuild their capacities for the best of an integrated health system where citizens exercise their right to health.

Last but not least, PNGO calls for holding the Israeli occupation accountable for the long series of violations against the Palestinian health system.