Gallant Knight 3: Prosthetic Limb Centre opens at UAE Field Hospital in Gaza as death toll crosses 29,000

The UAE opened a crucial health facility at its field hospital in the Gaza Strip on February 21 as the latest figures from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry suggest the ongoing fighting has claimed more than 29,300 lives in the enclave and injured over 69,000.

The Prosthetic Limb Centre supports the UAE’s “Gallant Knight 3” humanitarian operation, launched under the directives of President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed to alleviate the sufferings of the Palestinian people, as per the official Emirates News Agency.

The initiative comes in response to the urgent need to support the injured through a comprehensive set of the latest medical devices in the field of orthopaedics, to provide and manufacture high-quality prosthetics and to rehabilitate patients.

Need for immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip

The UAE is putting in considerable efforts to enable the injured lead normal lives. The centre will operate in several stages, starting from taking measurements to manufacture the prosthetic limb, followed by manufacturing, and physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Measurements have already been taken for 36 cases in preparation for the manufacture of their prosthetics. The number of people supported by the centre is expected to exceed 100 in just a handful of days, according to the media agency.

Established in December to help ease the significant pressure placed on Gaza’s health service by the five-month-long violence, the 150-bed field hospital has already treated more than 3,500 patients, The National reported on Thursday.

Floating hospital sets sail from UAE for injured Gazans

The field hospital is being used for general surgery and orthopaedics. But it also offers anaesthetic services and intensive care for children and adults, besides internal medicine, dentistry, family medicine and psychiatric treatment.

Last week, the Emirates announced plans to use SpaceX’s Starlink internet service at the field hospital to enable live video medical consultations. The use of Elon Musk’s satellite system will help healthcare personnel deliver care in Gaza – facing communication cuts.

In addition, a 100-bed floating hospital recently set sail from the Gulf state to provide medical support to Palestinian patients. It will remain docked off the coast of Al Arish in Egypt. The vessel has operating rooms, intensive care facilities, a laboratory and a pharmacy.

UAE’s notable support for Gazans under Gallant Knight 3

On February 21 morning, an Emirati aid convoy entered Gaza via the Egyptian Rafah border crossing. The 11 trucks involved carried more than 240 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including winter clothing, tents, family supplies, food items and medical supplies.

It is estimated that as of February 20, the Emirati aid provided to the Palestinian people through the Gallant Knight 3 operation exceeded 15,809 tonnes, through 165 cargo planes, 2 cargo ships and 476 trucks dispatched, as per the Emirates News Agency.

The UAE has also established 6 desalination plants with a production capacity of 1.2 million gallons per day. In addition, five automatic bakeries have been sent to Al Arish in preparation for their entry into the besieged Gaza Strip.

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