Life for a Child has provided supplies and support to young people in Gaza since 2020. According to distressing updates from our local partner there, some children with diabetes supported by Life for a Child have died since the bombardment of the Gaza Strip began. Our deepest sympathies and condolences extend to the affected families and communities.
A doctor from our local partner centre in Gaza told us: “The health and humanitarian situation of Gazan children with diabetes is devastating due to non-stop bombardment. Young people are exposed to frequent admission to hospitals with diabetes coma resulting from the lack of insulin and food. There is malnutrition and a very soon expected starvation that people will be facing in the upcoming days.” He also informed us that many health workers have been killed and health centres destroyed.
In addition to loss of life, the ongoing violence hampers access to vital healthcare services for everyone in Gaza. The healthcare system has been decimated by the bombing. Many children and young people living with diabetes face obstacles in obtaining life-sustaining supplies, including insulin. Internal displacement, food insecurity, emotional trauma, injuries, disease, and fear further exacerbate life-threatening fluctuations in blood glucose levels.
Amidst this deeply painful and distressing period, Life for a Child has been unable to provide immediate life-saving emergency assistance. Our typical supply channels have been disrupted since the transportation of insulin necessitates a cessation of violence due to the cold chain requirement. While we acknowledge and support the determined efforts of UN agencies in delivering insulin into Gaza, we know that more substantial support is required, and are frustrated to be unable to provide supplies where they are so urgently needed. The Life for a Child team, in collaboration with our key logistics partner, is earnestly exploring alternative solutions to ensure that essential care reaches Gazan children with diabetes in need.
Access to healthcare is a human right. We advocate for unobstructed access to essential diabetes care that is critical for the survival and well-being of children and young adults. Life for a Child’s vision statement is No child should die of diabetes, and we urgently demand full, unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver life-saving supplies to the Gazan population in need.