GAZA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- An alarming rise in meningitis infections among children in the Gaza Strip has triggered deep concern among families and healthcare workers, as the region's already crippled medical infrastructure struggles to cope with the consequences of prolonged conflict and systemic collapse.
At Al-Nasr Children's Hospital in Gaza City, hundreds of meningitis cases have been recorded in recent weeks, according to Ragheb Agha, head of the paediatrics department at the hospital.
"The lack of clean water, personal hygiene products, and basic public health infrastructure is contributing to the daily increase in infections," Agha said. He warned that the cramped, unsanitary conditions in makeshift shelters, where multiple families live in close quarters, significantly raise the risk of rapid transmission.
One such patient is Sham Al-Rukkab, a five-year-old girl currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
"Sham had a sudden high fever and stiffness. We had to act quickly and place her under cold water," her grandmother, Umm Mohammed, told Xinhua. "Life in Gaza has become extremely difficult. We live in tents, suffer from heat, and lack food and healthcare."
In another ward, Salwa Abu Aser, a mother of two-month-old boy Hani from Gaza City, uses cold compresses to reduce his fever.
Hani has been diagnosed with meningitis, as well as malnutrition and anemia.
"There is almost no food. We rely on one meal a day, usually lentils. Even breastfeeding is a challenge, as many mothers lack sufficient nutrition," she said.
The situation is just as dire in southern Gaza. Ahmad Al-Farra, head of the pediatrics and obstetrics department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said dozens of new cases of meningitis have been reported at his hospital recently.
"The spread is related to weakened immunity due to poor nutrition and vitamin deficiencies, as well as contaminated water sources, poor ventilation, and inadequate sanitation," Al-Farra told Xinhua.
He said that the destruction of Gaza's sewage system and ongoing electricity shortages have further strained already limited healthcare resources.
International organizations have expressed concern over the rising number of cases. A total of 484 suspected meningitis cases were reported across the Gaza Strip in June, a UN report said.
"While seasonal peaks in meningitis are typically observed during June and July, the current surge is significantly higher than in previous years. Khan Younis and Gaza City remain the most affected governorates, reporting the highest number of suspected cases," the report said.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it can be caused by infectious or non-infectious agents, carries a high risk of death and long-term complications, and requires urgent medical care.
Common symptoms of meningitis are fever, neck stiffness, confusion or altered mental status, headache, sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting, the WHO said.
However, treating the disease in Gaza has become increasingly difficult. With Gaza's border crossings largely closed, hospitals face acute shortages of antibiotics, testing kits, and essential medical supplies. Diagnostic capacity has been severely limited.
"Hospitals are facing severe shortages of fuel, electricity, medicines, and equipment. This has made the treatment and containment of infectious diseases extremely difficult," Agha said. ■
