IN A clinic in the beleaguered Gaza Strip, Mr Ratib Samur makes his way from one patient to the next holding a small box filled with enraged bees.

He uses the bees to sting those who have come to him for help, reported AFP. Since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, the coastal enclave has been sealed off from all but vital aid by both Israel and Egypt, limiting the ability of Gazans to seek medical care abroad.

It has meant growing demand for Mr Samur's bee venom treatment.

Most claims of apitherapy - the medical use of bee venom - are anecdotal and have not been proved to the satisfaction of scientists, although believers say it helps relieve pain from multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis and certain other ailments.

Bee stings however also entail risks of serious allergic reactions, and of course the process of getting stung is not one most people would enjoy.

No pain no gain: Mr Samur gets bees to sting patients in various places, such as near the eyebrow (above) and below the ear (below).

At Mr Samur's clinic, patients often get four to six stings a time. A course of three injections costs US$ 2.50 (S$3.50).

Mr Samur, who studied agricultural engineering in Egypt admits his treatment is no substitute for advanced medical care.

The 53-year-old opened the clinic in 2003 after testing out bee venom treatments on his family and friends.

Patients such as Ms Nivine Ajur, a 32-year-old mother of six who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, swear by the treatment.

She told AFP: "I could not climb stairs at all but now, after five months of treatment, I can climb them six times a day."

This article was first published in The New Paper.