Gaza’s Pediatric Hospitals Face Severe Shortages Amid Ongoing Conflict: UNICEF
UNICEF has raised alarms over the dire state of pediatric healthcare in Gaza, where ongoing hostilities have severely compromised medical services for children. The organization reports that child health services, already overstretched before the current conflict, are now nearing collapse due to inadequate infrastructure, medical equipment shortages, and frequent power outages .
The situation is exacerbated by the cessation of humanitarian aid deliveries, which UNICEF warns will have devastating consequences for children and families struggling to survive . As of early March, 155 health facilities have been damaged, and 32 hospitals are non-functional, leaving the remaining facilities overwhelmed and under-resourced .
The conflict has also led to a significant increase in premature births and neonatal complications. Doctors report a rise in low birth weight infants and stillbirths, attributed to maternal malnutrition, stress, and inadequate prenatal care . In some cases, premature babies have died due to the lack of incubators and essential medical supplies .
UNICEF emphasizes that the lives of one million children are hanging by a thread, urging immediate international intervention to restore and support Gaza’s pediatric healthcare services . The organization calls for unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid and medical supplies to the region.
The escalating crisis underscores the urgent need for a ceasefire and comprehensive support to address the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, particularly for its youngest and most vulnerable residents.
