Restoring Health Services for Children in Gaza
UNICEF works with partners to support recovery efforts and help Palestinian families rebuild their lives
Three months into a fragile ceasefire, life is still unimaginably difficult for families in the Gaza Strip. Homes and infrastructure lie in ruins. Two-thirds of the population are living in tents, struggling to survive an extremely harsh winter. The systems they rely on have been decimated.
UNICEF was one of the first agencies to return to Jabalia in North Gaza, opening a much-needed facility to deliver primary health care, nutrition services and psychosocial support for children, serving around 10,000 families.
A bright spot in a landscape dominated by ruins, the site also functions as a child-friendly space, where children can learn, play and begin to recover from the trauma they've experienced.
Video: The first health center for children in Jabalia is up and running
UNICEF brings critical services closer to families who have been struggling to access safe and reliable care
After clearing away the ruins of houses destroyed by bombs, and leveling and paving the land beneath, UNICEF provided the high-performance tents that house the new center in Jabalia, along with essential furniture and equipment.
The facility will support children and caregivers with essential health services, including maternal and child health support. As needs continue to grow, establishing this primary health care and learning space is a crucial step to help families in Jabalia access care, protection and support — closer to home, when they need it most.
In a place like Jabalia, where the destruction is overwhelming, bringing services back, starting today, is an essential step toward dignity, towards hope, for children and their families. — UNICEF Field Coordinator Fairooz Abu Warda
UNICEF Field Coordinator Fairooz Abu Warda, who is from Jabalia, says the new center delivers a powerful message along with critical services: "In a place like Jabalia, where the destruction is overwhelming, bringing services back, starting today, is an essential stop toward dignity, towards hope, for children and their families."
Learn more about UNICEF support for a child- and youth-focused recovery in the Gaza Strip
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
