Surge in Meningitis Cases Deepens Health Crisis for Children in Gaza

Surge in Meningitis Cases Deepens Health Crisis for Children in Gaza
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A sharp rise in meningitis cases is compounding Gaza’s worsening health emergency, as hospitals struggle to care for sick children amid war and collapsing sanitation systems, Reuters reports.
Health workers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warn that overcrowded shelters, limited clean water, and disrupted vaccinations have created ideal conditions for meningitis to spread. Although mild seasonal increases are expected between June and August, medical teams say current levels are alarming.

In southern Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, doctors have reported nearly 40 new meningitis admissions in a week, while hundreds more cases have been recorded at Gaza City’s Rantisi Children’s Hospital, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Hospitals are operating far beyond capacity, with shortages of vital antibiotics and no isolation rooms for infected patients.

Bacterial meningitis, which can be life-threatening and spread through close contact, poses a major threat in overcrowded tents where many displaced families now live. Viral meningitis, while less severe, also spreads rapidly through contaminated water and poor hygiene.

Gaza’s population of over two million has been almost entirely displaced since the conflict began in October 2023. Israel’s military campaign in response to attacks by Hamas has destroyed homes and infrastructure, including sewage systems, worsening sanitation and food security. Many families live in makeshift shelters with little access to clean water or fresh food, leaving children more vulnerable to infections due to malnutrition and weakened immunity.

Doctors warn that without reliable lab testing, tracking bacterial infections is increasingly difficult. Aid groups have called for greater humanitarian access and more medical supplies, especially antibiotics, to treat cases before they become. Health workers stress that without urgent action, the outbreak could escalate further in already dire conditions. The WHO continues to urge unrestricted aid access to protect Gaza’s most vulnerable.