Health Access

Barriers for patients in the occupied Palestinian territory

7,399 referrals issued to access health facilities outside the Palestinian MoH
1,288 Gaza
6,018 West Bank

119 Gaza patients exited through Beit Hanoun/Erez for healthcare
104 Gaza patient companions exited through Beit Hanoun/Erez

No comprehensive data available for West Bank patient and companion permit applications following suspension to functioning of Civil Affairs Office; 983 permits approved for patients to access Augusta

0 Gaza patients and companions called for security interrogation

Part 1 Referrals

June Referrals by the Ministry of Health

In June, the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) issued 7,399 referrals to non-MoH facilities, representing a substantial increase from May when 4,610 referrals were issued. This trend reflects the easing of movement restrictions due to relatively lower numbers of COVID-19 cases in oPt and Israel in the first part of June – though incidence of new cases began to increase again considerably from around 20 June.

However, the trend of referrals issued differed significantly for the Gaza Strip, compared to the West Bank. In Gaza, a lower number of MoH referrals persisted for patients in the Gaza Strip during June, with 1,288 issued in June representing approximately half (52%) of the average monthly number of referrals issued for Gaza patients in the first quarter of 2020 (2,481). Meanwhile, in the West Bank the number of referrals issued in June of 6,018 was almost a fifth (17%) higher than the average monthly number of referrals issued in the first quarter (5,133).

In the Gaza Strip, persistent severe movement restrictions are likely to have been a significant contributing factor to the low number of referrals issued. In 2019, 70% of referrals from Palestinian MoH required Israeli-issued permits to exit: 67% to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and 3% to Israeli hospitals. In the West Bank, the higher number may relate to the ‘rebound’ demand on services as COVID-19 restrictions eased.

The proportion of referrals destined for hospitals within the West Bank, outside East Jerusalem, increased from 40% on average for the first quarter to 52% in June. Similarly, referrals within Gaza increased from 7% to 13%. Meanwhile, referrals to East Jerusalem hospitals decreased from 41% to 33%; to Israeli hospitals from 5% to 2% and to Egypt from 6% to 1%. 0.2% were to Jordan. 19% (402) of referrals were for patients under 18-year-old and 31% (2,259) were for those aged 60 years or older. 47% of referrals were for female patients.