Coronavirus Stretches Palestinian Medical System Thin (VIDEO REPORT)

Ventilators, test kits, protective equipment all in short supply

The already weak Palestinian health sector and economy are in no condition to deal with a major epidemic, officials say. The only hope is that preventive measures will prove sufficient to stop the novel coronavirus from running rampant in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Tareef Ashour, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry, told The Media Line that Palestinian capabilities were limited and therefore strong preventive measures were taken from the very beginning in an effort to avoid a medical crisis. “Palestine was the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which consists of 22 countries, to close universities, schools, churches and mosques, as we know our resources are modest,” he said.