HEALTH
Medicines to Help People with Disabilities in Gaza
Anera delivers key medicines to help people with disabilities deal with pain and inflammation in Gaza.
Access to medicine is always a struggle in Gaza because of severe shortages and harsh economic conditions that make buying what’s available nearly impossible.
To ease that challenge Anera delivered the much-needed anti-inflammation medicine naproxen to the pharmacy at the Physically Handicapped Society (PHS). Anera received the donation of naproxen from our medical aid partner, International Health Partners | UK.
The drug is very useful both as a painkiller and non-steroidal medication with anti-inflammatory effects. PHS provides the medication free of charge to patients with disabilities.
Nadia Musleh lives in the central town of Nuseirat. The 42-year-old mother suffers from back and feet pain because of her 11-year-old disabled son’s dependence on her for mobility. She also suffers from a spinal cord compression. She also struggles financially, which makes it hard for her to afford medicine at regular pharmacies.
Sally Al-Serhi, a PHS pharmacist, says naproxen is a very beneficial drug, because it can serve three purposes in one dose: relieve pain, reduce inflammation and reduce fever. Sally says the medication is prescribed for many conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis; menstrual pain; and tooth, joint and bone pain; to name a few.
"Sadly the Ministry of Health is no longer able to provide medicines for chronic diseases even though there is a great need for them," she explains. "Drugs like Naproxen and similar painkillers are in high demand and we hope, with Anera’s help, we can continue to provide them for free."
Patient Nadia Musleh says her doctors prescribed Naproxen for her back pains. “I really benefited from the Naproxen. Before I started taking the medicine, I could hardly move. After three doses my health condition has remarkably improved. I feel great." She says she is lucky too because the pharmacy has provided it free of charge. She could not afford to pay for it in a regular pharmacy.
Nadia says dealing with disabilities is challenging enough and not being able to afford the medications to help is a frustration she no longer has to deal with, thanks to Anera’s support for the Physically Handicapped Society and other vital health services in Gaza.
