Forced to flee their homes and towns to escape the war waged by Israel on Lebanon, pregnant women in shelters face numerous challenges due to shortages of medicine and necessary medical care during pregnancy.
This is compounded by the high costs of routine checkups and essential vitamins, as well as the need to prepare for the approaching winter, including baby clothes, diapers, and appropriate clothing.
One mother, five months pregnant, told Al Jazeera Mubasher of her distress at not knowing the sex of her unborn child because she cannot afford the cost of the necessary tests, which range between $50 and $70. She also described various daily hardships, such as power outages, noise, and a lack of comfort in sleeping and moving around.
Another woman described to Al Jazeera Mubasher the suffering caused by the shelters’ lack of basic amenities and privacy. She noted that bathrooms are shared and medical care is not consistently available, sometimes forcing her to forgo essential needs to afford medicine or a doctor’s visit. The woman describes the hardship of sleeping on the floor and performing household chores and washing clothes by hand due to a lack of necessary tools, which exacerbates her physical and mental exhaustion.
She adds that the changes in her body size due to pregnancy and the lack of suitable clothing have become an additional psychological burden. She emphasizes that relief efforts are often focused on children and the elderly, while pregnant women receive no support specifically tailored to their needs, whether in terms of essential vitamins like iron and calcium, or specialized medical examinations.
One husband recounted having to sell his car to secure food and medicine for his family, describing the situation as tragic because he couldn’t afford an ultrasound for his wife. He also noted that the medications and vitamins distributed to pregnant women did not meet their actual medical needs.
According to a report issued by the Prime Minister’s office entitled “The Lebanese Government’s Comprehensive National Response to the War and Internal Displacement,” approximately one million people were forced to flee their homes, particularly from the South, Nabatieh, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, seeking refuge in safer areas.
The Cabinet report further explained that at the height of the crisis, the number of displaced persons reached 141,440, residing in 692 shelters. Of these, 631 remained operational by the end of May, accommodating over 127,000 displaced individuals. Schools and educational institutions occupied more than half of these shelters, exacerbating the strain on the education sector.
