The Importance of Reliable Medical Supplies in Gaza
This week, the Mercury News reported that a Berkeley resident, Barbara Lubin, the founder of the Middle East Children's Alliance, left yesterday to travel to Gaza to assure that 4 tons of medical supplies will be received by the thousands of needy children and infants. With the crisis mounting in the war torn Gaza Strip between the Hamas militants and Israeli forces, there are many concerns about the children innocently involved in the shootings and bombings. In the past 10 days, 550 people have died in Israel's military attacks in Gaza and 120 children of those are children.
Four tons may seem like a hefty amount of medical supplies to ship to any one place but with a situation like this, there is no doubt about the pressing nature of providing aid to the wounded. In addition, Lubin insists that bringing along all these necessary hospital medical equipment and supplies is really just a drop in the bucket when one looks at the grander scale of matters. For two years, there has been a blockage against any medical effects coming in through the Gaza border. All the sterile surgery instruments, powdered milk and intravenous medical drugs sat stalled at the gates.
Only recently, with permission from Egypt, the medical goods will be able to be delivered via Eyptian trucks along the Gaza border crossing point. This comes at a crucial time when UN officials warned about a surge in preventable deaths among the wounded solely due to a shortage of medical supplies. Lubin isn't the only person who is concerned about getting medical attention to people in Gaza either. Lebnanon dispatched nearly 20 tons of medical equipment and supplies to to various hospitals around the Strip. The Irish Red Cross already sent new supplies of blood and 1,000 doses of tetanus vaccines into Gaza.
Despite all the obstacles and risks, Lubin insists that it doesn't matter when there are children who have no choice but to face those violent adversities. In all, she and the non-profit Middle East Children's Alliance has successfully delivered more than $10 million in food and medical products to children.
