A360
Key Takeaways✦ Atlas AI
01
Skin diseases are rapidly increasing among Gaza's children.
02
Malnutrition and unsanitary conditions are primary drivers.
03
Lack of medicines hinders effective treatment efforts.
Atlas AI
Children in Gaza are experiencing a significant increase in skin diseases, including scabies and other infections, exacerbated by malnutrition and unsanitary living conditions. This crisis is unfolding across overcrowded displacement camps, particularly in areas like Khan Younis and al-Mawasi, where access to clean water, hygiene supplies, and medical treatment is severely limited.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) reported that in April, over 62% of 1,325 individuals diagnosed with skin diseases across six primary healthcare centers were children. Gaza's Ministry of Health recorded more than 17,000 ectoparasitic infections in 2026 alone. These conditions are driven by factors such as extreme overcrowding, poor ventilation, and the proliferation of insects and rodents in temporary shelters.
The lack of essential medicines, including treatments like Permethrin for scabies, further complicates the situation. Healthcare professionals, such as Dr. Alaa Ouda in Khan Younis, are treating 70 to 80 patients daily for various skin ailments. The weakened immune systems of children due to severe food shortages and malnutrition contribute to the rapid spread and severity of these infections, with many cases progressing to severe infections and abscesses.
