The waiting game: Gaza’s CT scan shortage causing worries and worse

econews.  Dalia Al-Hawari stood behind the glass partition in the hospital imaging room, watching in silence as her 10-year-old son prepared to have a CT scan to determine the extent of his injuries.

Ahmed was playing with friends when he slipped and fell, hurting his head. The scan results showed a fracture to his skull and severe bleeding, with doctors saying there needed to be emergency medical intervention to deal with his injuries.

“This was an emergency case. We could not wait. We were referred from Al-Aqsa Hospital to Yafa Hospital to undergo the CT scan because Ahmed needed a rapid diagnosis,” Dalia added.

“[Initially] I was very scared because I know that getting a CT scan in Gaza can take weeks, and sometimes one or two months, due to the overwhelming pressure and the shortage of available machines.”

Ahmed’s speedy assessment meant he was fortunate. But his mother’s initial concerns reflected those faced by thousands of patients in Gaza, where access to advanced diagnostic imaging has become a dreaded waiting game. Delays in diagnosis can seriously impact people’s lives and even result in death.

It follows extensive damage to Gaza’s health infrastructure and shortages of medical equipment due to Israel’s ongoing genocide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 94% of hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, resulting in only 19 out of 36 of the facilities partially functioning as of May 2025.

Israel’s ongoing siege on Gaza is further limiting health services for Palestinians in Gaza.