Humanitarian Crises in North Africa
Aftermath of a flood and earthquake (image generated by AI)
In September 2023, there was a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in the Marrakesh–Safi region in Morroco and there were floods in Derna, Libya caused by Storm Tropical Storm Daniel. The earthquake killed nearly 3,000 people, injured more than 5,500 and over 380,000 people have been affected. In Libya, the floods killed 3,958 people and more than 40,000 people have been displaced. While the immediate concerns to these disasters are done, this post highlights the public health concerns that still remain.
Both earthquakes and floods have several public health concerns. In Derna, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued a warning due to contaminated water sources and poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. IRC reports that Derna as of September 18, 2023, Derna recorded at least 55 children who became sick from contaminated water. The contaminated water puts everyone at risk as waterborne diseases can spread easily and women and children are at an increased risk. Risks of disease outbreaks diarrhea include acute watery diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, dengue, malaria, and yellow fever. These disease outbreaks are compounded with disrupted health care facilities which is of great concern for children, women, and people with chronic diseases. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitos, creating the ideal environment for malaria and waterborne diseases to spread. Libyan National Centre for Disease Control has reported 238 diarrhoea cases between the 4 days of September 14 to 18.
In both crises, health facilities have been severely damaged. The Libyan Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization are working to restore 10 health facilities and establish 6 field hospital beds as more than half of the health facilities in the region are closed due to damaged infrastructure and physical and human resources shortages. This makes it particularly challenging to ensure safe childbirth putting many women at risk. Mental health and psychosocial support is another area that needs attention due to the trauma that individuals have witnessed in Libya and Morocco. Psychosocial support needs to be provided to those who survived the disasters and also those who volunteered and were frontline workers.
An article published in the Lancet, also calls attention to the redirection of resources to support those with noncommunicable diseases in Morroco. Evidence shows that disasters negatively impact the cancer-related outcomes in older patients due to interrupted care and the difficulty in accessing timely treatment.
On LinkedIn, I saw a post that serves as a reminder that menstrual products are also a necessity during humanitarian crises. It is important to ensure that people have access to products for their well-being. During this crisis, and with many others, women and girls tend to be at a higher risk of sexual assault. In Morroco, there have been concerns about sexual assault and forced marriage. While in Libya, there are increased risks of violence and exploitation of children. It is important to protect women and girls during these crises. As the health systems are not functioning at optimal capacity, this will have severe impacts on health service delivery and future health outcomes.
