Gaza doctors face tough decisions as patients face long waits for diagnoses

At Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, Gaza, laboratory director Bassem Hassan states that medical test results crucial for diagnosing illnesses like kidney disease and diabetes are difficult to obtain due to shortages of supplies caused by the war and siege. The damage to medical infrastructure has led to the suspension of blood gas testing, shortages of blood-collection tubes, and the shutdown of automated analyzers, with over three-quarters of medical imaging equipment out of service. Tests are now prioritized for severe cases such as those in intensive care, endangering patient survival.