Assessing Rehabilitation Systems in Conflict: A Policy Analysis of Prosthetic and Orthotic Services in Gaza, Palestine

The Gaza Strip is facing unprecedented levels of destruction to its healthcare system--including the provision of rehabilitation services--since the Israeli Defense Forces began its most recent military operation in October 2023. The Rehabilitation Task Force (RTF) is the governing body tasked with overseeing the provision of these services, including prosthetics and orthotics (P&O), in Gaza. Using the RTFs published documents--including reports on the state of P&O services, technical reports, and manuals/guidelines for various forms of rehabilitation services--this study aims to assess the capacity of Gazas P&O sector to meet the needs of Palestinians seeking P&O services. The study team analyzed the RTFs documents on P&O capacity and generated ratings according to the World Health Organizations Standards for Prosthetics and Orthotics. The results of our study demonstrate that, despite the extremely challenging circumstances, Gazas P&O sector excels in the domain of Policy. The targeted destruction of the rehabilitation sector and intentional withholding of resources preclude the Gaza Ministry of Health from meeting the standards in the domains of Products, Personnel, and Provision of Services. This systemic erosion of rehabilitative medical care translates into a reduced capacity to restore function and mobility to the tens of thousands of people in Gaza currently in need of such care. As such, urgent measures are required to restore, uphold, and expand the capacity of the P&O sector to serve the rights of persons with disabilities in Gaza.