@bbhorne@kolektiva.social2024-05-04 09:29:46
To get a stethoscope into Gaza you needed to buy a TV:
Resisting the blockade in Gaza with Mohammed Abu Matar from Tashkeel3D.
"I met Mohammad in 2018 while interning at a digital fabrication lab in Amman, Jordan. It was late afternoon, and the lab was almost deserted. Two men were playfully experimenting with the laser cutter, trying to figure out how it worked while sharing a moment of fun.
"Intrigued, I approached them to see if they needed any help figuring it out. They seemed to have navigated their way around the tool, so we started chatting.
"I couldn't help but stare at an orange plastic object in front of them. It had a central Y-shaped component with a transparent, flexible tube hanging from its tail, and a circular plastic piece attached to it. They handed me two rubber earbuds to fix on each end of the Y-shaped piece: it was a stethoscope, with some parts 3D-printed, and others bought and assembled.
"Mohammad and his friend were in transit in Amman awaiting a Canadian visa. Their team was invited to attend a conference to showcase their work on manufacturing open-source medical hardware in Gaza. Unfortunately, they were denied a visa to Canada, and so they returned home."
“Why not just buy stethoscopes?” I asked. Mohammed explained that first of all, bringing stethoscopes into Gaza was often impossible because the Israeli occupation arbitrary restricts entry of aid claiming they are dual-use goods. Second, buying stethoscopes in large quantities wasn’t feasible as they are expensive.
For emphasis, the Israeli occupation bans many essential and life-saving medical equipment under the dual-use goods claim. These restrictions began with the land-air-sea blockade on Gaza in 2007.
Full article: https://globalvoices.org/2024/03/27/to-get-a-stethoscope-into-gaza-you-needed-to-buy-a-tv/
