Kathryn Mears

Nurse with an interest in palliative care. Probably wearing stripes.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

Lethal combination of hunger and disease to lead to more deaths in #Gaza

Hunger is ravaging Gaza, and this is expected to increase illness across the Strip, most acutely among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people.

In new estimates released today, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global partnership, which includes WHO, said Gaza is facing “catastrophic levels of food insecurity,” with the risk of famine “increasing each day.”

An unprecedented 93% of the population in Gaza is facing crisis levels of hunger, with insufficient food and high levels of malnutrition. At least 1 in 4 households is facing “catastrophic conditions”: experiencing an extreme lack of food and starvation and having resorted to selling off their possessions and other extreme measures to afford a simple meal. Starvation, destitution and death are evident.

On recent missions to north Gaza, WHO staff say that every single person they spoke to in Gaza is hungry. Wherever they went, including hospitals and emergency wards, people asked them for food. “We move around Gaza delivering medical supplies, and people rush to our trucks hoping it’s food,” they said, calling it “an indicator of the desperation.”

Infectious diseases are thriving
Gaza is already experiencing soaring rates of infectious diseases. Over 100 000 cases of diarrhoea have been reported since mid-October. Half of these are among young children under the age of 5 years, case numbers that are 25 times what were reported before the conflict.

Over 150 000 cases of upper respiratory infection and numerous cases of meningitis, skin rashes, scabies, lice and chickenpox have been reported. Hepatitis is also suspected, as many people present with the telltale signs of jaundice.

While a healthy body can more easily fight off these diseases, a wasted and weakened body will struggle. Hunger weakens the body’s defences and opens the door to disease.

Malnutrition increases the risk of children dying from illnesses like diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles, especially in a setting where they lack access to life-saving health services.

Even if the child survives, wasting can have life-long impacts as it stunts growth and impairs cognitive development.

Breastfeeding mothers are also at high risk of malnutrition. From 0-6 months of age, a mother’s milk is the best and safest food a baby can get. This protects the child from nutritional deficiencies and catching deadly diseases such as diarrhoea, especially when access to safe drinking water is extremely limited.

Mental health issues, on the rise across the population in Gaza, including among women, could further impact breastfeeding rates.

Lack of sanitation and hygiene, and a collapsing health system, add to the toxic mix
Over 1.9 million people have been displaced from their homes, of whom over 1.4 million are staying in overcrowded shelters. These conditions are ripe for a continued rise in infectious diseases. In Gaza today, on average, there is only one shower for every 4500 people and one toilet for every 220. Clean water remains scarce, and there are rising levels of outdoor defecation. These conditions make the spread of infectious diseases inevitable.

Tragically, access to health services across Gaza has plummeted as the war continues to degrade the health system. With the health system on its knees, those facing the deadly combination of hunger and disease are left with few options.

The people of Gaza, who have already suffered enough, now face death from starvation and diseases that could be easily treated with a functioning health system. This must stop. Food and other aid must flow in far greater amounts. WHO reiterates its call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@AmysMargin Wobbly Williams (Robbie Williams) @TheLadyReturns @Jennym82733473

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@charlie310590 @OkiNicHoe @SBMPediatrics And basically no facilities for your partner to stay either so it’s just you and your baby all alone! My partner had to sleep in a chair and was offered no food or refreshments at all 🤷‍♀️

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@GerryMcBride I was constantly hungry watching this (s1). I always wanted a sandwich and I don’t even like sandwiches!!!

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@MuireannCait @DanWuori Definitely using this, thanks!!!

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@OGdukeneurosurg How is it then removed?? 😮

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@JennyHBone @clhubes Omg, this! My girl is 9months and she never stays still long enough to even watch the signs. Too busy climbing on mums, stealing toys, trying to drink from other people’s water bottles etc etc. Last week she tried to lick a plug socket on the wall 🙈🙈🙈

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@Existential_Doc Also, weird implication that surgeons don’t need to be academically gifted 🤨

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@NurseStandard It would be useful because medical ward side rooms are often used for patients in mental health crisis awaiting a bed in a MH unit. So adult registered nurses are often caring for patients with acute MH conditions without the training!

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@dr_km_ I’ve cut myself whilst gloved! Assuming you’re about to use a syringe to draw it up I crack it with the wrapper, or you use the end of a small syringe which works as an ampoule opener!

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@doctor_dru_ There’s a nursery at my hospital but shift work doesn’t tally with nursery opening hours and to be honest, it shouldn’t. IMHO shift working discriminates towards parents. When I go back to work I won’t even see my daughter on the days I am working because the day is so long.

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@fesshole I can believe this - Argos staff don’t care 😆

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@Katerina__Douka Thank you! ☺️

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

Any advice for good nursing or medical audiobooks/podcasts for me to listen to whilst on maternity leave? Nothing too heavy, I want something enjoyable but also educational! #NurseTwitter #Nursing #MedTwitter

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@SoVeryBritish Car wash !

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@Liz_ORiordan Student nurses are having to travel further and further to placements because of lack locally. What’s the point of training more nurses (and other HCPs) if you can’t even provide useful & affordable placements? Also, very hard to train/supervise students when you’re understaffed

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@KellyAllen01 List higher than it’s worth, then people will offer lower than it’s worth, so then you offer what it’s actually worth and then the buyers like ‘cool, deal’ (I’m a sucker that buys too much from vinted)

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@GoberLass I’ve only ever seen flowers allowed in hospice care, and even then they had a team of volunteers who tended to them. It’s sad but there are many other nice things you can bring a person in hospital (and which won’t wilt after a day or if no one has time to refresh the water!)

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@Rob_Percival_ @1stepsnutrition Agreed, if the only convenient food you can afford is UPF laden you will simply feel more shame about the food that you feed your family. I don’t think shame always makes people make healthier choices, it just makes them feel bad.

[Kathryn Mears @klmears]

@sarajcox In the winter mum might tell ‘it’s snowing!’to get us to rush to the windows. All year round ‘croissants in the oven!’also worked pretty well 😁