In Gaza, maternal health has become critical due to the ongoing conflict. Yasmeen, a local midwife, shared her harrowing experience of giving birth without professional assistance due to a lack of ambulances and the collapse of healthcare services. At four in the morning, she was forced to prepare for the birth of her baby at home, surrounded by her children, who experienced moments of terror while their mother suffered.
The pressure on healthcare services in Gaza is immense. Al-Shifa Hospital, where Yasmeen used to work, has sustained significant damage from attacks, leaving the population with very limited obstetric care. Currently, only 15 health centers in the region can provide assistance, all of which are overwhelmed and lacking resources. This has led to an increase in complications during childbirth and a concerning number of women giving birth without proper assistance.
Yasmeen’s story is just one of many. Sahar, another midwife, described a disturbing case of a woman who suffered severe bleeding during childbirth and was unable to receive the necessary medical attention, resulting in her death. This tragedy highlights the collapse of the healthcare system, which forces more and more women to face complicated deliveries under inadequate conditions.
According to estimates from UNFPA, around 55,000 pregnant women in Gaza are facing critical conditions, trapped in a cycle of violence and malnutrition. Every day, about 130 babies are born amid this crisis, many of them at high risk for complications. Dr. Ahmed, the director of the Maternal and Child Health Department, warned that the healthcare system could collapse if immediate help is not received.
As UNFPA tries to expand its services through temporary centers, the need for humanitarian support becomes increasingly urgent, with thousands of lives at risk. Without significant intervention, the health situation in Gaza could deteriorate further, endangering the lives of women and their newborns.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish