Faced with inadequate living conditions, shortages of hygiene products and food, and under constant stress, a significant number of mothers – themselves malnourished – give birth to premature babies and have an increased risk of postpartum complications. This crisis is further worsened by the acute shortage of essential medical and non-medical supplies in health facilities and hospitals.
Colder temperatures bring new health risks
Families are living in crowded tents or under plastic sheeting and mixed fabrics, without clean water, sanitation services, hygiene items including soap, and other basic needs. Conditions are worsening with the upcoming winter and dropping temperatures, increasing risks of diseases like skin and respiratory infections, scabies, acute diarrhoea, and viral infections, especially among newborns and children.
In addition to that, the rise in prices due to the drastic reduction in aid entering the Gaza Strip means that people are unable to afford nutritious food, which is already insufficient to meet the needs, leading to malnutrition especially in infants and children. The unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza is a crucial solution to alleviate the suffering of people trapped in the Strip. It will improve the availability of essential lifesaving medical and non-medical supplies for people, including newborns, children, and mothers.
“I have no diapers for my son,” says Yasmin, a mother whose son is being treated in Nasser hospital. “I do not even have suitable clothing for him; I must use a plastic bag, and this exposes his skin to more infections and rashes. Living in a tent is exposing my children to extreme conditions, and they are sleeping without even a proper bed.”
Fonte original msf.org
