Gaza – Saba:
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday confirmed an alarming increase in meningitis cases in the Gaza Strip amid an unprecedented health, humanitarian, and environmental deterioration.
In a statement, the ministry said it had recorded a significant increase in the number of suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis, "especially among children under five years of age, the group most vulnerable to the disease and its serious complications."
The statement pointed to the decline in the level of healthcare, with hospitals and primary care centers closed and destroyed, the significant deterioration in drug stocks, and the shortage of childhood vaccinations, which limits emergency response efforts.
It explained that serious factors have made the general health situation in the Gaza Strip fertile ground for the spread and outbreak of diseases, especially among the most vulnerable and less immune age groups: children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
The statement stated that the catastrophic conditions in shelters, the severe shortage of drinking water, the spread of sewage, and the accumulation of waste are pushing the health situation to further deterioration.
The Ministry of Health issued an urgent appeal to all concerned parties to intervene immediately and improve health and living conditions to limit the spread of diseases and enhance the lists of necessary medications for confirmed cases of the disease and the necessary vaccinations.
It called on citizens to follow the following methods: Prevention and appropriate medical advice to enhance disease prevention and reduce the risk of outbreaks among children.
| more of (International) |