The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned of a worsening public health crisis in Gaza, where skin diseases are spreading in overcrowded displacement camps across the besieged Palestinian territory. In a statement released Tuesday, the agency said that “the number of skin infections has tripled in recent months,” as rising temperatures, severe overcrowding, and the collapse of sanitation systems have created ideal conditions for the spread of scabies, chickenpox, and other infectious diseases, particularly among children. UNRWA also warned that a lack of adequate medical supplies is severely undermining the primary healthcare response in Gaza.
“In Gaza, there is a critical shortage of essential medicines, and many children are being denied the treatment they need,” the agency added. Hundreds of children in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, and in other areas of the besieged territory, are suffering from scabies, chickenpox, and various skin diseases linked to poor hygiene and chronic overcrowding. In Khan Younis in southern Gaza, health workers are scrambling to disinfect thousands of tents in an effort to curb the spread of infection. Saeb Lagan, a spokesman for the Khan Younis municipality, said, “So far, in the past 26 days, we have sprayed more than 50,000 tents out of 200,000.” But with supplies running low, many camps may soon be left untreated. Lagan added, “We are having difficulty procuring the necessary materials, as insecticides are unavailable on the local market.” UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric had previously stated that the humanitarian situation in Gaza’s displacement camps continues to deteriorate. He told reporters last month, “Field teams confirm that the spread of pests and skin diseases among Gaza’s population continues to increase. In March, these cases more than tripled in UN-run displacement camps.”
