Gaza facing acute shortages of medical supplies: health official

China

Gaza facing acute shortages of medical supplies: health official

2024-11-05 12:52 Last Updated At：15:07

Medical institutions including hospitals and pharmacies in the Gaza Strip are facing severe shortages of medicines and other medical supplies.

The Gaza media office said on Monday that due to Israel's ongoing airstrikes and military blockade, all hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip have ceased operations because they cannot receive humanitarian aids including medicines and other medical supplies.

At a pharmacy in the Gaza Strip, the shelves are near-empty, stocked with only a few types of medicines and medical supplies.

A pharmacist said people with chronic illnesses, as well as those who are injured, are facing a dire crisis as they are unable to access the essential medications they need.

"Many people injured in Israeli attacks need antibiotics, but we cannot provide them. Even if a small amount of medicines enters the Gaza Strip, it is far from enough to meet the needs of the patients," said pharmacist Alaa.

The Palestinian Heath Ministry said that Gaza is not only facing severe shortages of medications for chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, but also critical medical supplies like syringes, bandages, and disinfectants.

The health authorities and hospitals in Gaza is currently calling on the international society to put pressure on Israel and send necessary medical supplies to the besieged Palestinian enclave as soon as possible.

"Currently, more than 80 percent of medical supplies and over 75 percent of life-saving medications in most hospitals and health authorities in Gaza have been depleted. Over 95 percent of cancer medications are also exhausted. The Gaza Strip is facing a real medical crisis due to the shortage of medicines," said Khalil Al-Dakran, spokesperson for Gaza's Al-Aqsa Hospital.

In a statement on Monday, the Gaza-based health authorities reported that the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza had risen to 43,374, with 102,261 others injured.

VAT law to take effect in 2026, with current rates unchanged

2025-01-03 11:10 Last Updated At：11:37

Chinese lawmakers on Dec 25 voted to adopt a law on value-added tax (VAT), the largest tax category in China, marking major progress in enforcing the principle of law-based taxation.

The law, passed at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature, will take effect on Jan 1, 2026.

Currently, 14 out of the 18 tax categories in effect in China have already been legislated, covering the majority of tax revenue.

The VAT law specifies tax rates and taxable amounts, maintaining the three current rates of 13 percent, 9 percent, and 6 percent, with a zero tax rate applied to certain goods and services exports.

"The VAT legislation maintains the current statutory tax rates: 13 percent for goods, 9 percent for sectors like transportation, postal, communication, real estate, and construction, and 6 percent for services," said Shi Zhengwen, director of the Fiscal and Taxation Law Research Center of China University of Political Science and Law.

In terms of tax collection management, the VAT law clarifies that VAT will be collected by tax authorities, while customs will handle VAT for imported goods.

Additionally, for the first time, the law specifically outlines an invoicing management system, emphasizing the promotion of electronic invoices and strengthening data-driven tax administration.

"Electronic VAT invoices aim to provide timely access to tax-related information from business operations. The goal is to establish a tax information-sharing mechanism and coordination system. Under the 'data-driven tax administration' model, VAT collection will ultimately support high-quality development, social fairness, and market unity," said Shi.