Breast screening for 10,000 women in Gaza

Breast screening for 10,000 women in Gaza (52226)

In most countries around the World October is also known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month - or in the middle east as Rosy October, because of the pink ribbon symbol. Each year in October we at Amos Trust particularly focus on the Al Ahli ‘ baptist’ Hospital breast cancer screening programme in Gaza.

At the start of October 2023 the hospital launched a month of activities to further raise awareness of the impact of breast cancer in Gaza (life expectancy rates once diagnosed were over 3 times worse than in the UK or in israel and the West Bank) and of the need for and simplicity of self examination and for women over 40 or those who find a lump of a mammography screening scan. Alongside this was a fresh drive to break the stigma associated with breast cancer and to highlight that it could be treated effectively and well if diagnosed early. 

Then on October 7th the Hamas attack occurred that left 1,200 Isralis dead and for the subsequent attack on Gaza destruction that has left 40,000 dead, 10,000 missing, 100,000 injured, 2 million displaced and so much destruction. The hospital changed its focus to respond to the waves of casualties it was receiving. 

The Hospital was bombed on October 17th and 471 people were killed. Staff have been operating since then under terrible conditions. The Hospital is one of few hospitals still operating in Gaza City. Their 60-bed hospital still has 80-100 inpatients and they currently have 22,000 outpatients registered with them and are carrying out 20-30 outpatient’ surgeries a day for those injured in the conflict.

Their physiotherapist unit has had to be used as a triage centre; however, they have just managed to reopen it. They want to have six physiotherapists based there and six others working in outpatients as there are so many injured people who desperately need physiotherapy — it is estimated that 10,000 people have lost a limb and 100,000 have been injured.

They also wish to resume their Intensive Care (3 beds) and specialist burns units as the need for both is so great. They are working with the Princes Basma Hospital in Jerusalem to provide specialist care for children who have had amputations and have just resumed day clinics for those suffering from cancer with Augusta Victoria Hospital. They are running these clinics for two days a week for people who were being treated by Augusta Victoria before the fighting started and who have spent the last ten months unable to access treatment. They are also looking to resume their diagnostic and breast cancer services once there is a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, provided the machines have not been too badly damaged.

We recently made a payment of  $26,000 which is the first of three payments for their outpatients work and for them to restart their rehabilitation work, specifically with those injured in the war through their specialist surgical, burns and physiotherapy departments. This will then we hope lead onto further support for their breast cancer screening programmes. 

Thank you for your support of Al Ahli’s breast screening program in Gaza. 

Before October 2023. Al Ahli’s breast cancer screening programme was proceeding well and exceeding their targets. In Gaza, breast cancer kills more than any other cancer, 5 year survival rates are 30-40% (UK 87%). Women are reluctant to seek early diagnosis, presenting late, for 60% after the cancer has spread. The hospital’s diagnostic centre was very busy - the new mammography machine was proving highly effective in identifying potential tumours and a new partnership with August Victoria hospital in Jerusalem had allowed them better access to chemotherapy drugs which were always in short supply in Gaza.

The hospital was on target to educate 5,000 women that year about breast cancer through community programmes and to screen 3,000 women over 40. We were working with them on a new campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness month - (Rosie October in Gaza) which they were rolling out with the 23 community organisations they work with to promote screening. As part of this their community Health workers had trained their volunteers (many post-treatment) on how they could use the month to encourage women to attend the oncology unit to learn how to self-examine and become familiar with treatment procedures.

As you read in our report in February, the hospital has come under fire several times since October. Thus far while the diagnostic unit at the hospital has received some damage, there has only been minor damage to diagnostic machines and the mammography machines remain undamaged. This means that once there is a long term cessation of violence these services will be able to resume quite quickly but right now remaining staff are busy responding to the emergencies caused by the ongoing violence. Hence our funding at this time is focused on their emergency work through our emergency appeal (see link below to project 62187) and this is reflected in our updates at this time.

In January and February patients and staff were surviving on 1 meal of rice a day and in February the hospital had run out of fuel. This meant that they were dependent on the hospital’s damaged solar panels for electricity. They charged mobile phones during the day time and had to use the torches from them for medical procedures after dark. These solar panels were then damaged further when one of the US aid drops landed upon them. Since then they have received fuel supplies but medical staff, food and medical supplies are all at critically low levels.

With the destruction and closure of Al Shifa hospital - Gaza’s largest hospital - they are once again one of the handful of hospitals running in North Gaza and are inundated with patients. al Ahli hospital is receiving over 200 injured patients each day, the operating theatre is working non stop and there are approximately 150 inpatients. They have had to once again use the chapel, the two floors in the library buildings and reception as emergency wards to house these people.

Amos Trust recently sent further funds to support the salaries for the hospital staff including those who are sheltering in the South of Gaza and can no longer access the hospital. These staff have in the last few weeks opened a new temporary clinic in Rafah at the southern tip of Gaza as nearly one million displaced people are sheltering there.

We have committed to continuing to help fund the hospital staff over the coming months, as this is the most dignified and effective way of providing support and in ensuring that they are better able to feed their extended families/ communities despite the exorbitant cost of all products. We have also committed to assist in supporting the repair work of the breast screening diagnostic centre when this becomes a possibility.

Thank you again for your support. 

Links:

• Amos Trust's Emergency Appeal For Gaza