What happens when a healthcare system is systematically dismantled during war?

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Britain Palestine Project Podcast, Professor Nick Maynard—consultant surgeon, humanitarian, and Chair of Medical Aid for Palestinians—shares his eyewitness testimony from multiple medical missions inside Gaza since October 2023.

Drawing on over sixteen years of experience working in Palestinian hospitals, Professor Maynard describes the realities facing doctors, nurses and patients as hospitals are overwhelmed, medical supplies run out, healthcare workers are killed or detained, and civilians struggle to survive amid mass displacement and hunger.

This conversation examines the collapse of Gaza's healthcare system through the eyes of a surgeon who has treated the wounded firsthand. Professor Maynard discusses the challenges of operating without basic equipment, the impact of malnutrition on patients, attacks on hospitals and medical personnel, and the urgent humanitarian crisis facing Gaza today.

Hosted by Diana Safieh, the discussion also explores what governments, healthcare professionals and ordinary citizens can do in response.

Topics covered include:

Professor Maynard's medical missions to Gaza
The collapse of Gaza's healthcare system
Conditions inside emergency departments and operating theatres
The impact of attacks on hospitals and medical staff
Child casualties and trauma care
Malnutrition and the humanitarian crisis
Medical evacuations and barriers to treatment
International humanitarian law and accountability
The role of the UK government and international community
How individuals can support humanitarian efforts

Whether you are interested in healthcare, international law, humanitarian aid or the ongoing situation in Palestine, this episode offers a rare first-hand medical perspective from one of the UK's most experienced surgeons working in Gaza.

Professor Nick Maynard is a Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Oxford. He has worked extensively in Gaza since 2008, training Palestinian surgeons and supporting the development of surgical services. He is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Medical Aid for Palestinians and was awarded the UK Humanitarian Medal in recognition of his medical work in Gaza.

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