Desperate Conditions: The Struggle for Basic Needs Amidst Displacement

Displacement due to Israeli strikes has forced thousands from Baalbek, Lebanon, into overcrowded shelters. Among the displaced, there is a severe shortage of clean water and essential hygiene supplies, severely impacting vulnerable groups, including women and children. Concerns about health issues, including a rise in infectious diseases, are mounting.

Amid a backdrop of escalating conflict in Lebanon, the displacement crisis continues to worsen. Rabab al-Hajj Youssef, like many others, is grappling with dire living conditions at a shelter, struggling with basic hygiene due to a critical shortage of clean water.

After fleeing Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, over 200,000 individuals have sought refuge in overcrowded shelters, facing increasing challenges as winter approaches. The hygiene situation is particularly acute for women, who face limited access to sanitation products and clean water, raising concerns about dignity and health.

Humanitarian agencies are sounding the alarm over potential health crises, with documented outbreaks of infectious diseases like measles and hepatitis A. Experts warn that the lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure in shelters could exacerbate this situation, threatening the wellbeing of the vulnerable displaced population.

(With inputs from agencies.)