No meals, fainting nurses, dwindling baby formula: Starvation haunts Gaza hospitals
JERUSALEM - In several of the hospitals still functioning in the Gaza Strip, nurses are fainting from hunger and dehydration. Managers often cannot provide meals for patients or medical staff. Doctors are running low on formula for newborns, in some cases giving them water alone.
And at least three major hospitals
lack the nutritional fluids needed to properly treat malnourished children and adults .
Those scenes were described in interviews starting on July 25 with seven doctors – four from Gaza, and three volunteers from Australia, Britain and the United States. All of them worked this past week in four of the territory's main hospitals.
After months of warnings, international agencies, experts and doctors say starvation is now sweeping across Gaza amid restrictions on aid imposed by Israel for months.
At least 56 Palestinians died in July of starvation in the territory, nearly half of the total of such deaths since the war began 22 months ago, according to data released on July 26 by the Gaza Health Ministry.
As starvation rises, medical institutions and staff, already struggling to treat war wounds and illness, are now grappling with rising cases of malnourishment.
In all four hospitals, the doctors described how they are increasingly unable to save malnourished babies and are instead forced to simply manage their decline. The babies are too weak to be flooded with nutrients, which could overload their system and cause them to suffer 'refeeding syndrome', which could kill them.
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In some cases, the fluids that the doctors can safely give to the babies are not enough to prevent them from dying.
Asked for comment, COGAT, the Israeli military department that oversees aid to Gaza, said it 'continues to work in coordination with international actors to allow and facilitate the continued entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, in accordance with international law.'
Late on the night of July 26, the Israeli military began to drop airborne aid over northern Gaza, and said it would pause its military activity for several hours a day in key areas to make it easier to deliver aid by land.
One-third of Palestinians in Gaza are forced to go without food for days in a row, the World Food Program said recently. Of the young children and pregnant women treated at clinics run by Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, roughly one-fourth are suffering from malnutrition, the medical aid group said last week. NYTIMES
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Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
No meals, fainting nurses, dwindling baby formula: Starvation haunts Gaza hospitals
Experts and doctors say starvation is now sweeping across Gaza amid restrictions on aid imposed by Israel for months. JERUSALEM - In several of the hospitals still functioning in the Gaza Strip, nurses are fainting from hunger and dehydration. Managers often cannot provide meals for patients or medical staff. Doctors are running low on formula for newborns, in some cases giving them water alone. And at least three major hospitals lack the nutritional fluids needed to properly treat malnourished children and adults . Those scenes were described in interviews starting on July 25 with seven doctors – four from Gaza, and three volunteers from Australia, Britain and the United States. All of them worked this past week in four of the territory's main hospitals. After months of warnings, international agencies, experts and doctors say starvation is now sweeping across Gaza amid restrictions on aid imposed by Israel for months. At least 56 Palestinians died in July of starvation in the territory, nearly half of the total of such deaths since the war began 22 months ago, according to data released on July 26 by the Gaza Health Ministry. As starvation rises, medical institutions and staff, already struggling to treat war wounds and illness, are now grappling with rising cases of malnourishment. In all four hospitals, the doctors described how they are increasingly unable to save malnourished babies and are instead forced to simply manage their decline. The babies are too weak to be flooded with nutrients, which could overload their system and cause them to suffer 'refeeding syndrome', which could kill them. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole World Three dead, several injured after train derails in Germany Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks In some cases, the fluids that the doctors can safely give to the babies are not enough to prevent them from dying. Asked for comment, COGAT, the Israeli military department that oversees aid to Gaza, said it 'continues to work in coordination with international actors to allow and facilitate the continued entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, in accordance with international law.' Late on the night of July 26, the Israeli military began to drop airborne aid over northern Gaza, and said it would pause its military activity for several hours a day in key areas to make it easier to deliver aid by land. One-third of Palestinians in Gaza are forced to go without food for days in a row, the World Food Program said recently. Of the young children and pregnant women treated at clinics run by Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, roughly one-fourth are suffering from malnutrition, the medical aid group said last week. NYTIMES
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Can AI be my friend and therapist?
Mental health professionals in Singapore say they have been seeing more patients who tap AI chatbots for a listening ear. SINGAPORE - When Ms Chu Chui Laam's eldest son started facing social challenges in school, she was stressed and at her wits' end. She did not want to turn to her friends or family for advice as a relative's children were in the same pre-school as her son. Plus, she did not think the situation was so severe as to require the help of a family therapist. So she decided to turn to ChatGPT for parenting advice. 'Because my son was having troubles in school interacting with his peers, ChatGPT gave me some strategies to navigate such conversations. It gave me advice on how to do a role-play scenario with my son to talk through how to handle the situation,' said Ms Chu, 36, an insurance agent. She is among a growing number of people turning to chatbots for advice in times of difficulty and stress, with some even relying on these generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools for emotional support or therapy. Anecdotally, mental health professionals in Singapore say they have been seeing more patients who tap AI chatbots for a listening ear, especially with the public roll-out of ChatGPT in November 2022. The draw of AI chatbots is understandable – it is available 24/7, free of charge, and will never reject or ignore you. But mental health professionals also warn about the potential perils of using the technology for such purposes: These chatbots are not designed or licensed to provide emotional support or therapy. They provide generic answers. There is no oversight. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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AI chatbots cannot help those with more needs Mr Maximillian Chen, clinical psychologist from Annabelle Psychology, said: 'An AI chatbot could be helpful when seeking suggestions for self-help strategies, or for answering one-off questions about their mental health.' While it is useful for generic advice, it cannot help those with more needs. Ms Irena Constantin, principal educational psychologist at Scott Psychological Centre, pointed out that most AI chatbots do not consider individual history and are often out of context. It is also often limited for complex mental health disorders. 'In contrast, mental health professionals undergo lengthy and rigorous education and training and it is a licensed and regulated profession in many countries,' said Ms Constantin. Concurring, Mr Chen said there are also serious concerns about the use of generative AI like ChatGPT as surrogate counsellors or psychologists. 'While Gen AI may increase the accessibility of mental health resources for many, Gen AI lacks the emotional intelligence to accurately understand the nuances of a person's emotions. 'It may fail to identify when a person is severely distressed and continue to support the person when they may instead require higher levels of professional mental health support. It may also provide inappropriate responses as we have seen in the past,' said Mr Chen. More dangerously, generative AI could worsen the mental health conditions of those who already have or are vulnerable to psychotic disorders. Psychotic disorders are a group of serious mental illnesses with symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and disorganised thoughts. Associate Professor Swapna Verma, chairman of the Institute of Mental Health's medical board, has seen at least one case of AI-induced psychosis in a patient at the tertiary psychiatric hospital. Earlier in 2025, the patient was talking to ChatGPT about religion when his psychosis was stable and well-managed, and the chatbot told him that if he converted to a particular faith, his soul would die. Consumed with the fear of a dying soul, he started going to a temple 10 times a day. 'Patients with psychosis experience a break in reality. They live in a world which may not be in line with reality, and ChatGPT can reinforce these experiences for them,' said Prof Swapna. Luckily, the patient eventually recognised that his behaviour was troubling, and that ChatGPT had likely given him the wrong information. For around six months now, Prof Swapna has been making it a point to ask during consultations if patients are using ChatGPT. Most of her patients admit to using it, some to better understand their conditions, and others to seek emotional support. 'I cannot stop my patients from using ChatGPT. So what I do is tell them what kind of questions they can ask, and how to use the information,' said Prof Swapna. For example, patients can ask ChatGPT for things like coping strategies if they are upset, but should avoid trying to get a diagnosis from the AI chatbot. 'I went to ChatGPT because I needed an outlet' Users that The Straits Times spoke to say they are aware and wary of the risks that come with turning to ChatGPT for advice. Ms Chu, for example, is careful about the prompts that she feeds ChatGPT when she is seeking parenting advice and strategies. 'I tell ChatGPT that I want objective, science-backed answers. I want a framework. I want it to give me questions for me to ponder, instead of giving me answers just like that,' said Ms Chu, adding that she would not pour out her emotional troubles to the chatbot. An event organiser who wants to be known only as Kaykay said she turned to ChatGPT in a moment of weakness. 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The pitfalls of relying too much on AI Ms Caroline Ho, a counsellor at Heart to Heart Talk Counselling, said a pattern she observed was that those who sought advice from chatbots often had pre-existing difficulties with trusting their own judgment, and described feeling more isolated over time. 'They found it difficult to stop reaching out to ChatGPT as they felt technology was able to empathise with their feelings, which they could not find in their social network,' said Ms Ho, noting that some users began withdrawing further from their limited social circles. She added that those who relied heavily on AI sometimes missed out on the opportunity to develop emotional regulation and cognitive resilience, which are key goals in therapy. 'Those who do not wish to work on over-reliance on AI will eventually drop out of counselling,' she said. In her practice, Ms Ho also saw another group of clients who initially used AI to streamline work-related tasks. Over time, some developed imposter syndrome and began to doubt the quality of their original output. In certain cases, this later morphed into turning to AI for personal advice as well. 'We need to recognise that humans are never perfect, but it is through our imperfections that we hone our skills, learning from mistakes and developing people management abilities through trial and error,' she said. Similarly, Ms Belinda Neidhart-Lau, founder and principal therapist of The Lighthouse Counselling, noted that while chatbots offer instant feedback or comfort, they can short-circuit a necessary part of emotional growth. 'AI may inadvertently discourage people from engaging with their own discomfort,' she told ST. 'Sitting with difficult emotions, reflecting independently, and working through internal struggles are essential practices that build emotional resilience and self-awareness.' Experts are also concerned about the full impact of AI chatbots on mental health for the younger generation, as their brain is still developing while they have access to the technology. Mr Chen said: 'While it is still unclear how the use of Gen AI affects the development of the youth, given that the excessive use of social media has been shown to have contributed to the increased levels of anxiety and depression amongst Generation Z, there are legitimate worries about how Gen AI may affect Generation Alpha.' Moving ahead with AI For better or worse, generative AI is set to embed itself more and more into modern life. So there is a growing push to ensure that when these tools are used for mental health or emotional support, they are properly evaluated. Professor Julian Savulescu, director of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics at NUS , said that currently, the biggest ethical issue with using AI chatbots for emotional support is that these are potentially life-saving or lethal interventions, and they have not been properly assessed, like a new drug would be. Prof Savulescu pointed out that AI chatbots clearly have benefits with their increased accessibility, but there are also risks like privacy and user dependency. Measures should be put in place to prevent harm. 'It is critical that an AI system is able to identify and refer on cases of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or severe mental health crises. It needs to be integrated within a web of professional care. Privacy of sensitive health data also needs to be guaranteed,' said Prof Savulescu. Users should also be able to understand what the system is doing, the potential risks and benefits and the chances of them occurring. 'AI is dynamic and the interaction evolves – it is not like a drug. It changes over time. We need to make sure these tools are serving us, not us becoming slaves to them, or being manipulated or harmed by them,' said Prof Savulescu.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
A 'critical' and 'serious' shortage of healthcare workers in Johor
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Johor Bahru's main hospital, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, is Malaysia's second busiest government hospital, serving more than 2,000 patients a day. – Cardiologist Ng Kim Fong worked long hours as a specialist at Johor Bahru's main hospital, tending to around 100 patients a day for years. His daily shifts, for five days a week, consisted of morning rounds serving up to 40 patients in the wards of Hospital Sultanah Aminah, and then tending up to 30 outpatients in the hospital's clinic from noon. This would be followed by tending to another 30 or so patients in the wards before he could call it a day. He switched to private practice in September 2024, after nearly two decades with the hospital. 'That was what we as government doctors had to do. It's part of our job. But in recent years, the patient numbers have been increasing,' Dr Ng told The Straits Times. He is now a consultant cardiologist at the KPJ Kluang Specialist Hospital in the Kluang district, some 100km from Johor Bahru, and his pay has more than tripled. 'There is definitely a severe shortage of healthcare workers in Johor – especially staff nurses, medical officers and specialists,' he said, noting that public healthcare staff are overworked and overwhelmed. The issue was spotlighted by Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi on July 14, when he said the state is facing a 'critical and serious' shortage of healthcare officers in major government hospitals. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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The migration to southern Johor districts is also due to the booming economy, leading to a wide availability of jobs for those not keen to work in Singapore. Added to this is the longstanding issue of Malaysian nurses and doctors seeking jobs abroad, including in Singapore, for better salaries, said Johor's top health official, Mr Ling Tian Soon, on July 10. Datuk Onn, during a visit to a government hospital ward on July 14, said that a nurse in Johor Bahru has to serve between 10 and 14 patients on every shift. Each nurse should ideally serve between six and eight patients, he added. 'The situation is not just unfair to our workers, but it is also not safe for our patients if we let this continue,' he said. Mr Ling told ST that Johor needs at least 4,600 healthcare workers – including doctors, nurses, and specialists – to meet local demand. He added that a task force was formed with Malaysia's Ministry of Health, after a meeting with its minister, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, on July 15 in Putrajaya. But, he said, the current 4,600 number might be just a short-term fix, as many more may be required. 'You hear about patients saying they have to sleep in waiting areas, and doctors needing to put extra beds in between the wards. This is happening because there are too many people and too few staff,' he told ST over the phone. Mr Ling said the two main hospitals in Johor Bahru, the 1,206-bed Hospital Sultanah Aminah and Hospital Sultan Ismail, which has 704 beds, are operating at 100 per cent to 110 per cent capacity each day. 'The actual number of healthcare workers needed in Johor may be more, taking into account the current population, so when we met the Ministry of Health, we told them to get the more than 4,000 (healthcare) positions ready first,' he explained. Health Ministry data shows that Johor has 12 public hospitals across its 10 main districts, providing more than 5,200 beds. Hospital Pasir Gudang, a new RM500 million (S$150 million) project in Bandar Baru Seri Alam – about 14km east of Johor Bahru – was initially expected to begin operations in August, but this has been delayed to 2026. Mr Ling said the 304-bed hospital needs 500 new staff members for its first phase of operations, but only 315 vacancies have been filled. Johor has about 6,800 doctors and 10,800 nurses for its more than four million residents, or roughly one doctor per 600 people, according to publicly available data from the ministry in 2022. The Malaysia-wide ratio is better, with one doctor per 412 people. Singapore, a developed nation offering high salaries, has an even lower doctor-to-population ratio, of about one doctor per 353 people as at 2023. 'The morale among healthcare workers is at an all-time low,' said Johor Doctors Association president Mohamed Amin Kader . 'Johor has suffered far too long. Besides Johor Bahru, we have Batu Pahat, Muar, Kluang, Segamat, Pontian, Mersing, each with a big population that lacks healthcare workers, with some sub-specialists even covering the entire state or two to three districts,' added the internal medicine specialist from Pantai Hospital Batu Pahat, located about 120km from Johor Bahru. Johor's population was 3.6 million just 10 years ago , according to Malaysia's department of statistics. This has jumped 11.1 per cent to 4.01 million today. The Johor Bahru district, where the state capital sits, recorded some 1.8 million people in 2024, making it one of Malaysia's biggest cities by population. In contrast, Kuala Lumpur has 2.06 million people and the Klang district in Selangor state has 1.17 million. The Johor population surge compares with the slower rise of 9 per cent in Malaysia's overall population to 34.2 million today from around 31.2 million 10 years ago. The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Idris Sultan Ibrahim, said on July 8 that he has called on the federal government to 'expedite the approval and hiring process to fill vacancies' that are causing 'significant congestion' in Johor's hospitals. During a recent visit by ST to Hospital Sultanah Aminah, patients complained to this paper about the long waiting times despite them having appointments, the lack of staff, the ageing equipment and even the shortage of chairs for those waiting. At the hallway leading to the patients' wards, caregivers were seen seated on the floor and on concrete kerbs holding their queue slips. 'I came to the clinic at 9am for an orthopaedic appointment for my broken finger, and we got out only at 3.30pm,' said Kulai resident Mohammad Amirul Johari, 30, who met with an accident while riding his motorcycle two weeks ago on the way back home from work in Singapore. The Singapore factor in attracting healthcare professionals is another issue that Johor, and the rest of Malaysia, has to contend with over the years. Countries in the Middle East also offer good pay for medical staff. Senator R.A. Lingeshwaran on July 8 was quoted in Malaysian media as saying that a recruitment agency had offered local doctors an annual package of $110,000 plus housing and other perks, to work in Singapore. Dr Lingeshwaran, a former director at a Penang hospital, said a Malaysian medical officer with three years' experience earns a gross salary of only about RM72,000 (S$22,000) a year. Former public dentist Choudhry Sundaram Padiachee told ST: 'Low salaries, overworked staff, bad work culture, and lack of clear career prospects are among the reasons why I left, and why, I believe, many have left and are leaving.' Dr Choudhry, who worked in Hospital Sultan Ismail for nine years, now runs Habib Dental in Bandar Dato Onn, a suburb 12km north of Johor Bahru.
