Ref: 67/2018
Date: 03-07-2018
Press Release
After the announcement of exhausting the drug for treating children with leukemia
The International Commission to support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) calls upon all the relevant parties to work hard to provide the drug mercaptopurine for children with leukemia in Gaza Strip.
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) followed with deep concern the warning issued by Mr.Talha Balousha the director of Blood and tumors Pharmacy in al –ranteci hospital in an urgent appeals about the exhausting of the Mercaptopurine medicine in the pharmacy of Al- Rantisi hospital for children which constitutes a health disaster on the lives of patient children with leukemia, after dozens of them on their way to recover from the disease, Balousha also stressed that the continuation of this status would expose these children to a serious danger and failure of the therapeutic protocol.
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) considers the content of this statement as an urgent humanitarian appeal in order to demands all the concern parties, especially the Palestinian Ministry of Health to work hard to provide the Merkaptopurine medicine, as it declares its full solidarity with the patient children, with their families and their right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and to receive the best levels of treatment, and warns against the consequences of the continued lack of this medicine in al- Rantisi Hospital pharmacy and its impact on the lives of patient children,
ICSPR records and demands the following:
1-The International Commission (ICSPR) cautions against the continuation of the unprecedented deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza strip, due to the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza and the collective punishments imposed by the presidency and the Palestinian government and the inability of the Palestinian parties to overcome the internal divisions which affects the basic service level and has aggravated the crises and threatens all aspects of life.
2-ICSPR calls upon the Palestinian Ministry of health to intervene urgently in order to provide the needed cure for the patients in Gaza strip, especially children with cancer and neutralize all humanitarian and service sectors from political conflicts.
3-ICSPR urges the World Health Organization and the relevant International organization weather governmental or nongovernmental to intervene immediately in order to provide this medicine (mercaptopurine) and other medical treatments and supplies for cancer patients in Gaza strip.
4.ICSPR calls upon the international community to stop the practice of politicization of Palestinian issues and to pressure the Israeli occupation state to end its siege on the strip immediately as well as to stop its polices and measures against the Palestinian patients.
Regards,
