Looking for Trouble

Busy days for WPSR medical team in Gaza, by Gerri Haynes

Quickly these days in Gaza pass – full of stories and lessons. With his expertise in autism, Chuck Cowan is in high demand. With his great ability to teach many subjects, Don Mellman is consulting and lecturing. Bob Haynes, Laura Hart and I spent the day at the Islamic University with nursing students. Bob lectured on advanced cardiac life support, Laura on urinary incontinence, and I talked about medical decision-making at the end of life. We were enthusiastically received and the students (who all speak English) eagerly engaged us in a clinical question and response session.

We also toured the University’s special section for the education of blind students. With a staff devoted to this unique program, students are assisted in learning through Braille and computer-associated voice programs. We watched one student manipulate the keyboard of his computer and then move to a sound device that the instructor told us was proving to be very helpful in the student’s studies. More such devices are needed – access is, again, limited due to the siege.

This afternoon, we met with staff members of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme to review our schedules for the remainder of our visit. Each encounter with these friends brings stories of the extreme difficulties of life in Gaza. While they live with courage, the prospect of the siege continuing into an increasingly future is hard to contemplate. A few examples of the public health burden: education is suffering – the lack of schools is profound; presently, 38 – 41% of the male population is unemployed; unless rapid reparations are accomplished (and nothing significant appears to be happening now), the Gaza aquifer will be damaged beyond repair by 2016 and there will be no drop of potable water in all of Gaza.

Tonight, the family of a Seattle couple joined our group for a visit at our hotel. We had a good time telling of our adventures and there was much laughter. Over and over, the strength of family is apparent here. We hear of young people leaving Gaza only to return to the tribal warmth of their family.