The Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip warned that shortage of medicines has hit dangerous levels, according to Gaza-based Al-Resalah Media Institution.

In a press conference held at Gaza hospital recently, spokesperson for the ministry said that the situation would be catastrophic if the shortage of medicines continued, especially medicines allocated for dialysis patients.

The shortage has also affected the Rantisi Children's hospital, the only children's hospital in Gaza.

The spokesperson said that the medicine crisis, coupled with the energy crisis, have put lives of 40 patients in the hospital at risk.

He noted that some medicine like the ones for kidney patients and those suffering from nerve diseases, have been fully used up.

The power crisis has also made it more difficult for surgeons and nurses at the hospital''s emergency and intensive care unit to carry out surgeries and treat patients.

According to Al-Resalah, Gazans have barely four hours of power a day.

-- BERNAMA