At Gaza’s Indonesian hospital, doctors battle blackouts to save lives

Volunteer says at least 870 people have died and 2,530 people have been treated for injuries at hospital in Beit Lahia.

Medan, Indonesia – An Indonesian-funded hospital in Gaza is struggling to treat a deluge of patients wounded in Israeli bombardment amid dwindling medicine stocks and blackouts that have forced doctors to operate in darkness, a volunteer organisation has said.

Fikri Rofiul Haq, a volunteer for the Indonesia-based Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), which organised donations to build the hospital in 2011, told Al Jazeera that Indonesia Hospital has been inundated with patients after weeks of relentless bombing by Israeli forces.

“At the Indonesia Hospital alone, 870 people have died and 2,530 people have been treated for injuries. Some 164 patients are still hospitalised,” Haq told Al Jazeera.

“Around half the population of Gaza has evacuated to places people think are safer than their homes, like schools and hospitals, including the Indonesia Hospital. More than 1,500 residents have fled to the Indonesia Hospital and are camping in empty rooms and the hospital courtyards.”

Last week, the hospital lost power due to a blackout caused by a lack of fuel as Israel’s blockade of the enclave prevented the entry of essential supplies.

“We are trying to find fuel to power the Indonesia Hospital following the blackout, which lasted for over an hour. Doctors had no choice but to perform operations and treat patients without any light,” Haq said.

“The Indonesia Hospital really needs medical assistance and hospital personnel are exhausted because they are being forced to work 24 hours a day.”

Haq said getting aid to the hospital had been a challenge, but the MER-C had elicited donations from Indonesians and other aid organisations in Gaza and volunteers had been able to deliver some supplies to the hospital on October 19 and October 24.

“We were able to get some medicine and other medical equipment, but there is still a lot of medicine we do not have in stock because it has run out,” he said.