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Persons with disabilities among most affected
It is now more than a month since the start of the most recent crisis in Palestine. Although hostilities have been less intense in recent days, they continue to result in additional fatalities and property damage across the Gaza Strip. According to the latest OCHA report, at least 425,000 people are now displaced in emergency shelters or with host families.
In any emergency or disaster, people who live with some form of disability are disproportionally affected.
Reasons for this include
- inaccessibility of warning messages and emergency shelters
- loss of and damage to assistive devices
- disruption of support networks
- increased difficulty in accessing basic humanitarian needs (food, water, shelter, sanitation and health care services)
At the same time, emergencies can increase the number of people who experience disability, both short and long-term, due to injuries sustained and lack of effective medical services.
CBM response - food and hygeine kits plus medical support
Distribution of food and hygiene kits to 2100 families, including families with persons with disabilities
CBM is supporting DanChurchAid (DCA) to provide food and Hygiene kits to the population including families with persons with disabilities. The hygiene kits include specific items for persons with disabilities, which are of vital importance. DCA is working hand in hand with the Jabalia Rehabilitation Society and Atfaluna to identify persons with disabilities and ensure that they have access to relief.
So far, 70% of our targeted 2,100 families have been reached, and efforts are continuing to reach out to more families with persons with disabilities, among others. This has been made possible thanks to the dedicated team in Gaza that risk their own lives to provide support to the most at risk.
Support to severely injured people
CBM partner The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR), based in the West Bank, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, is receiving severely injured people from the Gaza Strip for surgery and rehabilitation. The transfer of patients depends on the opening of the border crossing points for evacuation. CBM is working with BASR in order to ensure that all material and medicines are available for treatment, rehabilitation and follow up of those patients.
