Kidney patients face death with no dialysis or clean water
People with kidney disease in Gaza are struggling to obtain life-saving treatment, as the war enters its fifth month in the enclave.
More than 1,000 require dialysis, a therapy for those whose kidneys are failing.
Saleh Al Nathr, a dialysis patient from Jabalia camp north of the Gaza Strip, says he faces death every day.
“I truly feel that these are the last hours of my life after losing hope in the regularity of my kidney dialysis sessions,” Mr Al Nathr told The National.
He had kidney failure diagnosed at the age of nine and has been on regular dialysis ever since. Initially, it was one session a week before it was increased to twice a week.
Before the war started on October 7, dialysis was available at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city and other centres.
But the World Health Organisation says most of the enclave’s 36 hospitals have stopped working. Only 12 are partially functioning – six in the north and six in the south.
“This war came and destroyed everything,” Mr Al Nathr said.
“Even though we have experienced many wars and difficulties in our lives as kidney patients, the suffering we are currently experiencing we have not seen before.”
Like many others, Mr Al Nathr has been cut off from hospital dialysis centres several times due to fighting between Israel and Hamas-led militants in Gaza.
He once went more than a month without any dialysis treatment. This worsened his condition, particularly as medicine that could help him was also not available.
“I have become desperate. I surrender to God, especially after hearing that some of my fellow patients have passed away,” Mr Al Nathr said.
Shortages of food and clean drinking water in northern Gaza are also affecting kidney failure patients, leading
to severe complications. Saeb Jinad, also from Jabalia camp, said the lack of food has made living with kidney disease much harder.
“As patients, we need to eat healthy, balanced meals rich in nutrients, but this has not been available to us for months,” he said.
Many of those unable to receive treatment are children. Rida, 13, in Gaza city, often goes weeks without dialysis.
Signs of extreme fatigue are starting to show and her father is worried she could soon die.
“Sometimes she faints and falls to the ground, and I feel helpless that I can’t do anything for her,” Subhi Ayya told The National.
He used to take his daughter to a clinic affiliated with the Indonesian Hospital, but it significantly reduced its hours at the start of the war.
“In the beginning, things
were somewhat normal and we used to go to Al Shifa Hospital. But after the Israelis tried to besiege it, we were afraid to even attempt to get there,” he said.
During the November ceasefire, Gaza’s Ministry of Health was trying to operate the centre. Mr Ayya managed to take Rida for one dialysis session. But for weeks after, he was unable to take her as Israeli forces surrounded the complex.
Last month, the dialysis department at Al Shifa Hospital restarted. Parts of the hospital have been destroyed and, amid severe fuel shortages, some machines are down.
“The frequency of dialysis sessions decreased,” said Mr Ayya. “Now she can barely have one session per week”.
Dr Ghazi Alyazji, head of the nephrology department at Al Shifa Hospital, said kidney dialysis sessions have been reduced to twice a week, from three times, due to the lack of water and fuel for generators.
“Currently, we have 40 kidney patients receiving treatment at Al Shifa, undergoing dialysis twice a week. In reality, this is not sufficient because some of them require three sessions, and sometimes more,” Dr Alyazji said.
Before the war there were 450 patients with kidney failure receiving treatment at Al Shifa Hospital, out of 1,100 patients across Gaza, he said.
Sometimes [my daughter] faints and falls to the ground, and I feel helpless that I can’t do anything for her
SUBHI AYYA
Father of dialysis patient aged 13