The Grave Long-Term Effects of the Gaza Malnutrition Crisis
2 min read
Summary
Traumatic injuries in the Palestinian territory of Gaza are failing to heal due to a lack of nutrients, according to Merry Fitzpatrick, an assistant professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University.
In the eight months since October 2023, 154 people have died in Gaza from malnutrition, including 89 children, with 63 dying in July alone, the majority of them children, according to the WHO.
Malnutrition adversely affects the body’s metabolism, shutting down the immune system and causing bacterial infections and severe sepsis when the bacteria enter the blood; it also causes thinning hair and hair loss, and when the body is close to giving up, the skin is the next to be neglected.
The youngest and most vulnerable are those most at risk of malnutrition, with more than 5,000 children under five admitted to malnutrition treatment centres in both June and July, while more than 40% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are now severely malnourished, a tripling of rates since June.
However, the situation in Gaza is such that many are close to death, and the few who receive treatment will suffer lifelong negative health consequences such as stunted growth and impaired brain development.
