Infection control in conflict zones: practical insights from recent medical missions to Gaza

Our recent medical mission trips to Gaza European Hospital (EGH) in Khan Younis revealed a dire need for improved infection control measures to mitigate the spread of infectious disease. Infection control in Gaza is severely compromised due to the lack of sterile conditions. Basic necessities, such as sterile gloves in appropriate sizes, are often unavailable, and the shortage of medical staff exacerbates the situation. Hospital admission rates are exceptionally high, and hospital grounds are used by hundreds of sheltering families, many of whom were treated by the medical staff but had no other place of refuge once their treatment was complete. Patients are admitted in clinical areas outside of EGH, which was built previously to accommodate patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Due to staff shortages, lack of dressings, and minimal antibiotic supply, nearly all patients do not receive proper wound care follow-up. This shortage leads to irregular dressing changes and substandard wound management. Patients with complex fractures are accommodated on firm surfaces due to limited hospital beds, making them susceptible to the development of pressure injuries and further infection. The implications of this are profound, as open wounds in unsanitary conditions are breeding grounds for infection, complicating recovery and increasing morbidity.