{"id":269205,"date":"2024-07-15T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=269205"},"modified":"2024-07-12T05:47:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T04:47:01","slug":"gazans-reeling-from-closed-hospitals-malnutrition-and-heat-risks-warns-un-health-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/07\/gazans-reeling-from-closed-hospitals-malnutrition-and-heat-risks-warns-un-health-agency\/","title":{"rendered":"Gazans Reeling from Closed Hospitals, Malnutrition and Heat Risks, Warns UN Health Agency"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Forcibly displaced by Israeli relocation orders, Palestinians take as many belongings as they can, before heading in search of a new place to shelter. UNRWA<\/p><\/div>\n

9 Jul 2024 – In Gaza, overwhelmed hospitals, soaring temperatures, hunger and a lack of even basic sanitation present an ever more deadly threat to a population under constant attack, UN humanitarians warned today.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Briefing journalists in Geneva, UN World Health Organization (WHO<\/a>) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said that according to the enclave\u2019s health authorities, 34 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration amid ongoing Israeli bombardment, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks on 7 October.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn [northern Gaza\u2019s] Kamal Adwan hospital alone, 60 cases of severe acute malnutrition were detected last week<\/strong>,\u201d the WHO spokesperson told journalists.<\/p>\n

Easy prey for disease<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cMalnutrition is definitely one of the factors that reduces the immunity, especially of the vulnerable population, elderly and children, who then can\u2019t really cope with any disease, any pathogen that they can get,\u201d Mr. Jasarevic said, describing a \u201cvicious circle<\/strong> of not having access to enough food, to clean water, to clean sanitation, not having access to basic health services\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr. Ja\u0161arevi\u0107 paid tribute to the dedication of health workers who have returned to their facilities once they feel secure enough, to try and get vital services running again. Out of Gaza\u2019s 36 hospitals, only 13 are \u201cpartially functioning\u201d<\/strong>, he said.<\/p>\n

Health centre reopens<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In more positive news, hundreds of Gazans sought help at a newly reopened UN health centre in Khan Younis, six months after it was severely damaged and forced to close due to heavy fighting, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA<\/a>) said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The UNRWA Japanese Health Center in Khan Younis offers primary healthcare services and houses a pharmacy and medical staff who had previously fled as fighting and Israeli tanks rolled through the streets outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople in Gaza desperately need healthcare, but only a fraction of UNRWA health centres are operational due to the ongoing military operations and damage and destruction of UNRWA facilities<\/strong>,\u201d UNRWA Senior Communications Officer, Louise Wateridge, told UN News<\/em>. \u201cLess than one-third of our health centres are operational.\u201d<\/p>\n

On its first day back up and running, 33 medical staff reported for duty and supported more than 900 patients seeking treatment, she added.<\/p>\n

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Our staff in Khan Younis managed to reopen an @UNRWA<\/a> health centre after it was severely damaged in January<\/p>\n

As there are no other health facilities in this part of Khan Younis the clinic is crucial to support the displaced families that moved back in the area looking for shelter pic.twitter.com\/7Zxlw2dr85<\/a><\/p>\n

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 8, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n