Gaza Ministry of Health warns of stopping surgeries due to Nitrous oxide shortage

Gaza (QNN)- The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza warned that all surgeries will be stopped soon in the besieged enclave due to Nitrous oxide shortage.

The ministry said in a statement that the Israeli occupation authorities banned the entry of Nitrous oxide at the start of 2021.

The Director-General for Administrative Affairs in the ministry, Mahmoud Hammad, said the available amounts of Nitrous oxide, which is used in anesthesia during surgeries, can cover the next ten days only. He added that the ministry contacted international bodies including the WHO to provide the inhalation anesthetic but the occupation state continues to ban its entry.

Hammad added that the ministry needs 120 cylinders of Nitrous oxide on a monthly basis. He stressed that having a shortage of it means that many patients, who need urgent surgeries, would die.