As the attacks on the Gaza Strip intensify, UNFPA = United Nations Population Fund's Palestinian Office, which supports women and children in the situation of pregnant women and babies being born, Dominic Allen, responded to an online interview with NHK this time.

Allen points out that preterm births are on the rise across Gaza and that pregnant women and babies are not getting the medical help they need.

Director Dominic Allen

According to Allen, about 5,1 women in the Gaza Strip are currently pregnant, and about 150 women are expected to give birth every day.

The video in the Sifa Hospital, one of the largest medical institutions in the Gaza Strip on the 26th of last month, released by UNFPA, shows the state of the NICU = neonatal intensive care unit.

NICU at Sypha Hospital

"Preterm births are on the rise across Gaza"

"The overall health care system is extremely challenging and we are facing unthinkable challenges," Allen said.

On top of that, he pointed out that the situation where babies are born with low weight is increasing both in this hospital and in Gaza as a whole.


"According to doctors and reports, premature births are increasing not only in Sifa Hospital, but in Gaza as a whole, and some doctors say that the fear of fighting and the situation of having to evacuate multiple times have had an impact."

In addition, there have been reports of births at home or in shelters.

"In some cases, women had to give birth at home or in shelters, and in some cases, they did not receive the medical assistance they needed, and in some cases, women who managed to make it safely to the maternity ward had to be discharged from the hospital just three hours after giving birth to make room for another pregnant woman."

He also said that there was a shortage of medical supplies at the scene, and severe cases were reported.

Dr.
Allen: "According to the doctors at Sypha Hospital, there have been cases where the child had to be removed from the womb of the mother who was about to die, and there have been reports of cesarean sections being performed without anesthesia to ensure the safety and health of the mother and child. It is a very painful reality for pregnant women and infants. The Gaza Strip is in a very frightening and difficult situation."

"We don't have enough supplies at all."

So, what about water and medical supplies?

Director
Allen: "Normally, the amount of supplies needed in the entire Gaza Strip is thought to be more than 1 trucks per day, but only about 500~20 trucks are actually coming in now. That level of relief is not enough at all, and it needs to be greatly increased. Women, especially after childbirth, need more water than the average person to feed their children. However, some people can only get water in 30~1 small bottles, and even that water can be dark or salty. We can't be sure if they are safe to drink. We need to urgently deliver large quantities of medical supplies and supplies to the Gaza Strip."

Mothers who are evacuating with their young children

In addition to childbirth, mothers who are displaced with their young children are also in a very difficult situation.

Mariko Kimura (right)

Ms. Mariko Kimura, the local representative of the Jerusalem Office of the JVC=Japan International Volunteer Center, has been working with other support groups in the Gaza Strip to improve the nutritional status of local children and provide childcare counseling for mothers.

Ms. Kimura has received messages from mothers who are evacuating with their small children complaining about their plight.

Message from a mother

The woman said she had been evacuated with her six-month-old child, and although she had once evacuated to the south, she had to change her place of evacuation several times.

The message from the woman said, "There are several bottles of water, but no bread" and "Children only eat one meal (a day)."

Ms. Amal

In addition, Kimura's friend Amal, who just gave birth last month, sent us images of the central Gaza Strip, where she was evacuated.

It shows how the house they were evacuating to was severely damaged because their neighbor's house was bombed. It is said that the resident of the neighboring house died.

Mariko
Kimura: "Amal has a six-month-old daughter and a three-year-old son, and she clings to her mother all the time, saying 'I'm scared.' But the truth is that she is not very okay, and she was worried that she was making her child even more anxious by putting on a scared face.
If this situation continues for a long time, it increases the likelihood of damage to physical and mental health, which is also a concern."

(Interview/Good Morning Japan Director Takeshi Yamada, Yuri Fukuoka)

November 11 Good Morning Japan

Available on NHK Plus until 11/9 (Thursday) 7:45 a.m.