Health - Pregnant women at risk as last hospital in north shut

One in five pregnant women treated at a central Gaza clinic were malnourished, doctors warned yesterday as fuel and medical supply shortages closed the last hospital operating in the north of the strip.

- Emma Graham-Harrison

"Every day we see women and children coming into our clinic suffering from acute malnutrition," said Dr Maram, whose full name was not disclosed, the lead physician for Project Hope, a global health and humanitarian relief organisation, in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah.

Project Hope said 21% of the pregnant women treated in the clinic in the three weeks to 24 February were suffering from malnutrition, as were one in 10 children.

"As infectious diseases spread in crammed areas and food becomes even scarcer, we will see more and more people going hungry - including the health workers who are trying to help. I worry every day that I won't find anything to eat," Maram said.

Only a trickle of aid is reaching Gaza, even after the UN warned of "pockets of famine" and widespread hunger across the enclave. Shipments have fallen by about half from January's levels, to under 100 trucks a day on average or 2,300 for the month.