UNITED NATIONS, Aug 29 (IPS) – As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, disease is spreading among Palestinian children. Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza, already suffering from widespread malnutrition, starvation, dehydration and unsanitary living conditions, are at risk of contracting a multitude of diseases.
Repeated evacuation orders from Gaza and continued obstruction of humanitarian aid are exacerbating the spread of disease among millions of Palestinian children, who already suffer from poor health due to poor sanitation, malnutrition and lack of access to health care.
The briefing on 23 August 2024 detailed the alarming new cases of polio among children in Gaza and the current measures taken by the United Nations to contain the spread of the virus.
“Regarding the polio situation in Gaza — as you will have seen, the WHO (World Food Programme) confirmed yesterday that a 10-month-old baby in Deir al Balah has polio. It is the first case in 25 years,” said Secretary-General Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
Additional cases have been discovered in wastewater samples from Gaza refugee camps.
Polio, once thought to be eradicated from the modern world, has resurfaced in areas with low vaccination rates. It is highly contagious and primarily targets young children, usually under the age of 6. Symptoms include disfigurement, paralysis, and death.
Dujarric added that UN agencies such as the WHO, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are currently preparing two rounds of polio vaccines that will be distributed in the coming weeks.
It is important to note that the spread of polio is facilitated by the extremely unsanitary living conditions in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children are currently experiencing severe water shortages, leading to an increase in the spread of waterborne diseases and reduced hygiene.
UNICEF states: “The Gaza Strip has long suffered from serious water problems and the situation is now more dire. Due to over-pumping and seawater leakage, it is estimated that less than five percent of the water extracted from the aquifer is fit for human consumption.”
It is estimated that at the time of publication, approximately 98 percent of Gaza’s entire water supply is unfit for human consumption. The use of contaminated water in Gaza has led to a significant increase in waterborne diseases, respiratory infections and skin diseases.
The consequences of these harsh living conditions are not limited to polio, but other health problems such as dysentery, diarrhea, pneumonia, jaundice, lice and scabies are also becoming more common.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, told media that Gaza, “where garbage and sewage fill the streets,” is causing respiratory complications, diarrhea and acute jaundice. In addition, Hepatitis A remains a major problem, with some 40,000 people infected since the war began in late 2023. In addition, health officials fear that Gaza could soon face outbreaks of cholera and leishmaniasis, both of which can be fatal.
The ongoing famine in Gaza greatly increases the risk of dying from these diseases. The WHO states: “A healthy body can fight these diseases more easily, a wasted and weakened body struggles. Hunger weakens the body’s defenses and opens the door to disease.”
Furthermore, WHO states that malnutrition and famine, combined with symptoms of infectious diseases, can have serious, lifelong consequences, such as stunted growth and impaired cognitive development.
In addition, high levels of displacement have led to severe overcrowding in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, creating the perfect breeding ground for the transmission of infectious diseases.
WHO states: “More than 1.9 million people have been forced from their homes, with more than 1.4 million staying in overcrowded shelters. These conditions are ripe for a continued surge in infectious diseases. In Gaza today, there is an average of only one shower per 4,500 people and one toilet per 220. Clean water remains scarce and there is increasing open-air defecation. These conditions make the spread of infectious diseases inevitable.”
Currently, the UN is prioritizing efforts to build new latrines and water pipes, repair the waste management system, and recalibrate desalination plants. However, constant bombing and military conflict are hampering these critical processes.
Dujarric says UN agencies have corresponded with both Israel and Palestine to establish a humanitarian pause in the warfare so that health workers can access the needy children in Gaza.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that maintaining a steady flow of vaccines and equipment into Gaza is crucial to effectively contain the health crisis in Gaza. In addition, sufficient fuel, increased donations and stable communications are essential.
IPS UN Office Report
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service