Kathmandu— In the Gaza Strip, Dr. Rizq Sufyan Abo Halima is forced to conduct dental operations from a small tent in an alleyway of Gaza City due to the destruction caused by Israel's ongoing siege and war. The scarcity of affordable office space has made it impossible for him to operate from a proper clinic, leaving him to endure harsh conditions while providing essential services.

Challenges of Operating in Tents

Dr. Abo Halima's old clinic was bombed during the early days of the war in 2023, and his newly built clinic was destroyed three months later when Israeli forces attacked the area. He now operates from a tent near the ruins of his former surgery. The doctor adjusts the tent to cope with high temperatures and frequent power outages, which often leave him unable to work until electricity is restored.

Affordability Issues

Finding another office would be ideal, but residential and commercial units are scarce in Gaza due to widespread destruction. Before the war, Dr. Abo Halima rented an entire apartment for his clinic at 500 shekels ($166) a month; now, he cannot afford the prices of remaining apartments, which have risen to around $1,000 per month. He opts for the tent as a cheaper alternative to avoid passing on high costs to patients who are already struggling financially.

Impact on Patients

The economic hardships in Gaza mean that dental care is often unaffordable for many residents. One patient, Yousef Abo Halima, stated he can handle the harsh heat inside the tent but cannot afford the high costs of fillings at clinics operating from apartments. Heba Rihan, a nurse working with Dr. Abo Halima, recounted an instance where a patient opted for tooth extraction over filling due to cost constraints.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.