Gaza Humanitarian Response Update | 22 July-4 August 2024

UN team assessing the situation of displaced people in three schools in Gaza city. Photo: OCHA

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Period: 22 July-4 August 2024

The information below is provided on a bi-weekly basis by Clusters and select Technical Working Groups operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). For an overview of priority needs and activities by cluster, please see the Flash Appeal.

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Health

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Response

During the reporting period, 48 Health Cluster partners reached about 264,000 people across the Strip. As of 3 August, there are 14 Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) supporting the local healthcare workforce, including three in northern Gaza.
Following the detection of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus (VDPV) Type 2 in environmental samples collected from Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, a risk assessment led by the Ministry of Health in Gaza (MoH) has been conducted in collaboration with Health Cluster partners, which included assessing sensitivity for the detection of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP, which is weakness and softness in the muscles of the limbs), environmental surveillance and immunization assessments at the sub-national level. Polio is one of the causes of AFP.
Eighty-five sick and severely injured patients were evacuated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for specialized care.
Efforts to expand bed capacity at critical hospitals continue, with the delivery of 40 emergency beds to Al Aqsa Hospital and 100 mattresses to Nasser Hospital, ensuring every bed has a mattress.
Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Clusters are working together to strengthen WASH-related Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) interventions.

Challenges

Numerous mass casualty incidents continue to stretch partners’ capacities to respond to trauma and emergency cases, amid a critical shortage of hospital beds.
Hospital generators remain at a breaking point due to overuse, the lack of alternative power generation options and constrained access to spare parts, placing the lives of critically ill and injured patients at risk.
The lack of access to clean water, hygiene kits, and sanitation facilities continues to pose major health risks and drive a surge in acute respiratory infections (currently exceeding 990,000 cases), diarrheal illnesses (577,000 cases), acute jaundice syndrome (107,000 cases) and skin infections. These health issues are exacerbated by poor living conditions and overcrowding in Gaza, making it even more challenging for healthcare providers to respond effectively.

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Nutrition

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Response

Partners continue to conduct Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screenings in shelters and healthcare facilities across the Gaza Strip. Since mid-January, 214,409 children aged 6-59 months, and 9,451 pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) have been screened for malnutrition. Of those screened, 13,837 were diagnosed with acute malnutrition and have been receiving treatment: 10,798 children diagnosed with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), and 3,039 with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Additionally, 724 PBW have been enrolled for treatment.
Partners have maintained service delivery despite the repeated evacuation orders by the Israeli military and recurrent displacement. As of 4 August, four stabilisation centres, 100 outpatient treatment sites and 307 blanket supplementary feeding sites are providing nutrition services. Two SAM stabilization centres in North Gaza and Gaza governorates received two nutrition kits equipment and five kits for the case management of children who require inpatient care for SAM.
Between 20 July and 2 August, 55,082 children under the age of five (CU5) and 23,297 PBW received 30 days needs of Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS-MQ) across Khan Younis, Dier al Balah, and Rafah, under the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme. Along with LNS-MQ distribution, 38,611 mothers and caregivers received key Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) E-messages.
Preliminary results of a soft survey on breast feeding and use of breastmilk substitutes in Gaza show that only two out of every five infants under six months of age are exclusively breastfed. Additionally, caregivers are feeding their children formula milk, either purchased or received as a donation. These feeding practices are concerning given the associated risks of increased infant morbidity and mortality in emergencies, especially as the water and sanitation situation continues to deteriorate.

Challenges

Repeated displacement, insecurity and access constraints continue to hamper the early detection of children and women requiring nutrition services and the scale-up of operational presence to provide needed support. Tents have been set up to conduct malnutrition screenings and provide services, but the lack of privacy renders breastfeeding counselling challenging.
Repeated displacement, including among children diagnosed with malnutrition, has made it difficult for partners to monitor and follow up on malnutrition cases and for families to carry supplies for malnutrition prevention and treatment.
Insecurity, access constraints, and limited infrastructure hinder the delivery and storage of nutrition supplies like LNS-SQ, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), and Ready-to-Use Infant Formula (RUIF).

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Food Security

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