An opinion article in the New York Times said that diseases and epidemics are sweeping Gaza, and there is a danger that they will spread throughout the entire region, and stopping this will require an international movement to reach immediate and permanent agreement for a ceasefire that will restore the rights of the people and children of Gaza.
The article highlights the dire health challenges faced by the children of Gaza in light of Israel’s war on the Strip, warning that if the situation continues, the currently widespread polio will not be the only disease that threatens their lives.
The writer, Dr. Muhammad Agha Al-Kurdi, a humanitarian worker, emphasized the worsening situation, as Israeli bombing hinders vaccination campaigns against paralysis, and the lack of safe water leads to the spread of epidemics on a large scale.
Al-Kurdi stated that he and his team receive 180 cases daily of children suffering from skin diseases such as rashes, herpes, or chickenpox, as a result of bathing in the sea polluted with sewage.
The infectious polio virus reappeared in Gaza in August in the body of a 10-month-old Gazan child, prompting the World Health Organization, in cooperation with other groups and organizations, to begin a massive vaccination campaign that includes 680,000 Palestinian children, and 559,000 were given the first dose as part of these efforts despite The difficulty of working under bombardment, according to the experience of the author of the article.
The writer pointed out that vaccines do not work effectively if the recipient is suffering from malnutrition, which is what the residents of the Gaza Strip suffer from as a result of Israel cutting off food supplies and aid. The spread of infection is made worse by the displacement of the people of Gaza, numbering 2.2 million people, to a crowded area equivalent to 11% of the area of the Gaza Strip. The college was bombed by the occupation army.
Al-Kurdi wondered about the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in light of the dire humanitarian conditions, especially since the vaccination consists of two doses that must be given a few weeks apart. He pointed out that “some of the children we vaccinate in the morning arrive at the hospital in the evening with serious injuries as a result of Israeli air strikes.”
He added: “What is the point of vaccinating children today, if tomorrow they will be infected with cholera according to doctors’ expectations, or injured by Israeli missiles, or suffering under the weight of famine? Celebrating the success of vaccination campaigns is almost meaningless when taking into account the other risks facing children in Gaza.” “.
The writer noted the importance of countries taking action to establish a ceasefire, repair what Israel destroyed in the Gaza Strip, and give the people of Gaza the rights and services they deserve. Otherwise, epidemics will not stop at the borders of the Strip, but may extend to affect the entire surrounding area.