Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip
The war in Gaza has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and severely impacted the healthcare system. It has overwhelmed orthopedic care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, the only public hospital serving the middle region of the Gaza Strip. With over a million displaced individuals and a sharp...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1595477/full |
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| author | Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Mohammed Halimy Mohammed Halimy Hitham Toman Hitham Toman Alaa Kassab Alaa Kassab Majdi Alkhaldi Majdi Alkhaldi Yosef Alderdasawe Yosef Alderdasawe Mahmoud Abuaita Ahmed Alzayyan Mohammed Tahir Ayman I. Harb |
| author_facet | Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Mohammed Halimy Mohammed Halimy Hitham Toman Hitham Toman Alaa Kassab Alaa Kassab Majdi Alkhaldi Majdi Alkhaldi Yosef Alderdasawe Yosef Alderdasawe Mahmoud Abuaita Ahmed Alzayyan Mohammed Tahir Ayman I. Harb |
| author_sort | Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The war in Gaza has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and severely impacted the healthcare system. It has overwhelmed orthopedic care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, the only public hospital serving the middle region of the Gaza Strip. With over a million displaced individuals and a sharp rise in war-related injuries, the department has been operating under extreme constraints, including shortages of medical supplies, staff, and infrastructure. The orthopedic department, initially small and under-equipped, has rapidly expanded and adapted to handle mass casualties. This has involved restructuring staff shifts, implementing a three-team 24-h rotation system, and repurposing existing facilities to accommodate the influx of patients. Emergency care evolved around a fluidic triage system, and surgical capacity was extremely strained. The repurposed obstetrics and gynecology theaters and delivery rooms became primary operating rooms, with two-thirds of all surgeries being orthopedic-related. Innovative solutions, such as field hospitals and tents for dressing, have helped alleviate some of the pressure. The introduction of the Dressing Under General Anesthesia (DUGA) system has improved wound care for severe injuries. International collaboration, particularly with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other NGOs, has played a critical role in supplementing medical services and expertise, providing medical and surgical supplies, and facilitating certain procedures. Despite these adaptations, the department remains overwhelmed. Resource limitations have caused delays in essential procedures, leading to complications such as non-union fractures and infections. Additionally, coordination between local and international teams has been challenging, underscoring the need for a more structured response to improve efficiency. The study highlights the adaptation and resilience of the orthopedic department at Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital. It underscores the urgent need for policy reforms to enhance emergency preparedness, expand surgical capacity, and develop a sustainable, resilient healthcare system. Key recommendations include standardizing clinical protocols, strengthening supply chains, and supporting overburdened and burnout medical staff. Addressing these challenges is crucial to sustaining orthopedic care in Gaza’s war-torn healthcare system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abf7b8e5f45047d7a6aac79e5bcf0d4d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-abf7b8e5f45047d7a6aac79e5bcf0d4d2025-08-20T03:33:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15954771595477Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza StripAbdulwhhab Abu Alamrain0Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain1Mohammed Halimy2Mohammed Halimy3Hitham Toman4Hitham Toman5Alaa Kassab6Alaa Kassab7Majdi Alkhaldi8Majdi Alkhaldi9Yosef Alderdasawe10Yosef Alderdasawe11Mahmoud Abuaita12Ahmed Alzayyan13Mohammed Tahir14Ayman I. Harb15Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineFaculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineFaculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, EgyptOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineFaculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City, PalestineFaculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineFAJR Scientific, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesOrthopedic Department, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, Deir Al-Balah, PalestineThe war in Gaza has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and severely impacted the healthcare system. It has overwhelmed orthopedic care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, the only public hospital serving the middle region of the Gaza Strip. With over a million displaced individuals and a sharp rise in war-related injuries, the department has been operating under extreme constraints, including shortages of medical supplies, staff, and infrastructure. The orthopedic department, initially small and under-equipped, has rapidly expanded and adapted to handle mass casualties. This has involved restructuring staff shifts, implementing a three-team 24-h rotation system, and repurposing existing facilities to accommodate the influx of patients. Emergency care evolved around a fluidic triage system, and surgical capacity was extremely strained. The repurposed obstetrics and gynecology theaters and delivery rooms became primary operating rooms, with two-thirds of all surgeries being orthopedic-related. Innovative solutions, such as field hospitals and tents for dressing, have helped alleviate some of the pressure. The introduction of the Dressing Under General Anesthesia (DUGA) system has improved wound care for severe injuries. International collaboration, particularly with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other NGOs, has played a critical role in supplementing medical services and expertise, providing medical and surgical supplies, and facilitating certain procedures. Despite these adaptations, the department remains overwhelmed. Resource limitations have caused delays in essential procedures, leading to complications such as non-union fractures and infections. Additionally, coordination between local and international teams has been challenging, underscoring the need for a more structured response to improve efficiency. The study highlights the adaptation and resilience of the orthopedic department at Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital. It underscores the urgent need for policy reforms to enhance emergency preparedness, expand surgical capacity, and develop a sustainable, resilient healthcare system. Key recommendations include standardizing clinical protocols, strengthening supply chains, and supporting overburdened and burnout medical staff. Addressing these challenges is crucial to sustaining orthopedic care in Gaza’s war-torn healthcare system.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1595477/fullwarorthopedicconflictpublic healthpreparedness & responseorthopedic trauma |
| spellingShingle | Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain Mohammed Halimy Mohammed Halimy Hitham Toman Hitham Toman Alaa Kassab Alaa Kassab Majdi Alkhaldi Majdi Alkhaldi Yosef Alderdasawe Yosef Alderdasawe Mahmoud Abuaita Ahmed Alzayyan Mohammed Tahir Ayman I. Harb Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip Frontiers in Public Health war orthopedic conflict public health preparedness & response orthopedic trauma |
| title | Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip |
| title_full | Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip |
| title_fullStr | Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip |
| title_full_unstemmed | Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip |
| title_short | Navigating ortho care amidst war crisis: insights from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital’s orthopedic department at Gaza Strip |
| title_sort | navigating ortho care amidst war crisis insights from al aqsa martyrs hospital s orthopedic department at gaza strip |
| topic | war orthopedic conflict public health preparedness & response orthopedic trauma |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1595477/full |
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