Gaza health crisis: Skin disease outbreak among displaced persons

Dermatology consultant Dr. Raed Abu Suriya of the Red Crescent has warned of a widespread outbreak of infectious skin diseases among displaced persons in the Gaza Strip. He described the general health situation as reaching “catastrophic” levels due to deteriorating living conditions and weather fluctuations.

The primary cause of the outbreak is extreme overcrowding in refugee camps and shelters, where single tents often house between 15 and 20 displaced individuals. This is compounded by a severe shortage of clean water, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene products. Medical professionals report seeing between 150 and 200 cases daily in dermatology clinics affiliated with the Red Crescent and the Ministry of Health.

Implementing basic preventive measures, such as isolating infected individuals, has become nearly impossible because more than 80% of hospital and health center infrastructure has been destroyed. Additionally, a critical shortage of beds has forced some patients to sleep on the floor. The delay in evacuating wounded and chronically ill patients for treatment outside the strip is also contributing to daily deaths due to a lack of essential medicines.