Arabic version: مرضى السكري في غزة يواجهون نقصًا حادًا في الأنسولين

Diabetes patients in Gaza are struggling to manage their health due to severe shortages of insulin and medical supplies. According to Al Jazeera, the ongoing conflict and tightening Israeli restrictions have made it increasingly difficult for individuals like 20-year-old Hamza al-Ghazali to find essential medications.

Hamza, a Type 1 diabetes patient from the Zeitoun neighborhood, recalls a time before the war when insulin pens were readily available and affordable, costing between 25 and 35 shekels ($8.5 and $12). Now, the price has surged to between 75 and 100 shekels ($25 and $34) per pen, forcing him to ration his supply. He needs six to seven pens each month, making it a constant challenge to manage his condition.

The situation has worsened with the blockade on medical supplies, leading to critical shortages of insulin, glucose meters, and test strips. Hamza notes that many medications available may have been stored improperly, raising concerns about their quality and effectiveness. This instability creates a precarious environment for diabetes management, where patients must navigate food intake and insulin doses carefully to avoid life-threatening complications.

Dr. Adli al-Ghouti, an endocrinology specialist, highlights that approximately 70,000 to 80,000 diabetes patients in Gaza are at risk due to these shortages. About 2,500 children are living with Type 1 diabetes and face increasingly dire health conditions due to the lack of proper treatment and monitoring tools. The crisis is exacerbated by power outages and the expiration of existing insulin stocks, which can lead to severe health complications.

As diabetes management becomes a daily struggle for survival, the situation in Gaza remains critical, with many patients unable to access the necessary resources to maintain their health.