The Explainer: What is the reality of health crises in places like Palestine and Sudan?

The Journal
Sep 07, 2024

The Explainer: What is the reality of health crises in places like Palestine and Sudan?


LIFE RARELY CONTINUES as normal when conflict strikes, and one of the first areas where this becomes obvious is healthcare.

Hospital services break down as the needs of the population overwhelm the ability of staff to provide care. In some cases, those doctors are killed, or their hospitals destroyed.

The world is watching this now in Gaza, where few hospitals are operating in any capacity.

This is compounded over time as food runs scarce and famine looms. Destroyed sanitation, or poor conditions in refugee camps, means disease can more easily spread.

This is not just the case in Gaza, but in countries like Sudan and Syria where the wars have dragged on for many years. It is a nightmare for people on the ground, and for healthcare workers trying to make a difference, working to address the needs of a population in such trying circumstances.