In Gaza, a father describes the struggle to feed his family
Humanitarian aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days after Israel lifted the three-month blockade. But UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma told journalists aid to Gaza was still "very, very far" from what was needed: a minimum of 500 to 600 trucks per day loaded with food, medical aid, fuel, water and other basic supplies, she said.
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France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
WHO says nearly 100,000 struck with cholera in Sudan
Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The fighting has killed tens of thousands. "In Sudan, unrelenting violence has led to widespread hunger, disease and suffering," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Cholera has swept across Sudan, with all states reporting outbreaks. Nearly 100,000 cases have been reported since July last year." Oral cholera vaccination campaigns had been conducted in several states, including the capital Khartoum, he told a press conference with the Geneva UN correspondents' association ACANU. "While we are seeing a declining trend in numbers, there are gaps in disease surveillance, and progress is fragile," he said. "Recent floods, affecting large parts of the country, are expected to worsen hunger and fuel more outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue and other diseases." Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with bacteria, often from faeces. It causes severe diarrhoea, vomiting and muscle cramps. Cholera can kill within hours when not attended to, though it can be treated with simple oral rehydration, and antibiotics for more severe cases. There has been a global increase in cholera cases, and their geographical spread, since 2021. Malnutrition As for hunger, Tedros said there were reports from El-Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur state, that people were eating animal feed to survive. Across the country, millions are going hungry and around 770,000 children under five years old are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year. "In the first six months of this year, nutrition centres supported by WHO have treated more than 17,000 severely malnourished children with medical complications. But many more are beyond reach," Tedros warned. The UN health agency's efforts were being held back by limited access and a lack of funding, he added, with the WHO having received less than a third of the money it has appealed for to provide urgent health assistance in Sudan. The WHO director-general said that as long as the violence continues in Sudan, "we can expect to see more hunger, more displacement and more disease".
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Nearly 12,000 children under five in Gaza face acute malnutrition, WHO reports
Around 12,000 children aged under five in Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition, and hunger-related deaths are rising, the Director General of the World Health Organization said on Thursday. "In July, nearly 12,000 children under five years were identified as having acute malnutrition in Gaza, the highest monthly figure ever recorded," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at his organisation's headquarters in Geneva. At least 99 people have died, including 64 adults and 35 children, of whom 29 were younger than five, from the start of this year to July 29. Between June and July, the number of admissions for malnutrition almost doubled – from 6,344 to 11,877 – according to the latest UNICEF figures available. Some 2,500 of those children are suffering from severe malnutrition. Tedros called for greater volumes of sustained aid via all possible routes. The WHO said it was supporting Gaza's four malnutrition centres, but that supplies of baby formula and nutritional foods were very low. "The overall volume of nutrition supplies remains completely insufficient to prevent further deterioration. The market needs to be flooded. There needs to be dietary diversity," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative for the occupied Palestinian Territory, via video link. A global hunger monitor has said a famine scenario is unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with starvation spreading, children dying of hunger-related causes and humanitarian access to the embattled enclave severely restricted. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said food consumption across Gaza had declined to its lowest level since the onset of the war. Eighty-one percent of households in the tiny, crowded coastal territory of 2.2 million people reported poor food consumption, up from 33 percent in April.
Euronews
14 hours ago
- Euronews
Five ways wildfires can hurt your health
A massive blaze is sweeping through the south of France, leaving more than 160 square kilometres burnt, property destroyed, and at least one death in its wake. French authorities say the wildfire in the Aude region is the country's biggest since 1949, with Prime Minister François Bayrou describing it as 'catastrophe on an unprecedented scale'. France is not alone. Greece, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Romania, and the United Kingdom have also been grappling with fierce wildfires this summer. Their toll goes far beyond the immediate destruction. Smoke and flames can cause high levels of air pollution, which is harmful to people's health and can travel thousands of kilometres from the fire. Wildfire smoke also appears to be more harmful than other types of air pollution when it comes to our health, though research on its long-term impact is limited. Children, older adults, people with certain health issues, and outdoor workers are at higher risk of complications. Even after they are contained, wildfires can affect people's wellbeing by, for example, making it harder for them to access health care services. Here are five ways wildfires can affect human health – and how you can protect yourself if wildfire smoke reaches you. 1. Respiratory irritation Wildfire smoke is full of tiny air pollutants, including fine particulate matter or PM2.5. It can get deep into the lungs, triggering coughing fits, chest pain, and stinging eyes. Exposure can also exacerbate asthma and has been linked to pneumonia. 2. Organ damage Experts believe PM2.5 can enter the bloodstream, cause inflammation, and affect other parts of the body, including the heart. Smoke exposure has been tied to a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack. Beyond the impact on our lungs and hearts, PM2.5 from wildfire smoke can cause and exacerbate problems with the skin, gut, kidney, eyes, nose, and liver, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 3. Mental health issues Wildfires can be traumatic. Victims are at higher risk of depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The mental health impact can be either immediate or longer term. Meanwhile, research published this week found that after devastating wildfires in the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2023, the rates of suicide and overdose deaths nearly doubled. 4. Brain performance Wildfire smoke can lead to cognitive impairment and memory loss, the WHO said. In research published last year, the more people were exposed to wildfire pollutants over time, the more likely they were to be diagnosed with dementia. In another study, researchers found adults had shorter attention spans within just a few hours of exposure to wildfire smoke pollution. 5. Cancer Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke may raise the risk of lung cancer and brain tumours, though more research is needed on the topic. A sweeping review in 2022, for example, found that PM2.5 and other chemicals often found in wildfire smoke were linked to cancer, based on studies that showed elevated cancer risks among firefighters and people in the western United States, where wildfires are common. How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? If wildfire smoke reaches you, there are steps you can take to minimise its impact on your health. In parts of France affected by the wildfires, local authorities are urging residents and tourists to stay in their homes unless they are told to evacuate. Meanwhile IQAir, a Swiss company that tracks air quality, recommends that people shut their doors and windows, set their heating and cooling system to recirculate indoor air, and consider using an air purifier. It says people should try to stay indoors and wear a KN95 mask if they need to leave the house.
