31 August 2017
Recent armed violence in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el Helweh in the city of Saida, South Lebanon, has once again resulted in deaths, insecurity, and affected the provision of healthcare services for Palestinian residents.
Nearly a week of violence between rival armed factions has left six people dead and 43 injured. The camp’s electricity and water networks have also been damaged, and all the residents of Al Tiri neighbourhood were displaced due to severe damage to their homes. A ceasefire has now been agreed, but residents are dealing with the devastation to buildings and homes caused by the fighting.
Ein el Hilweh is the biggest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, home to more than 100,000 Palestinian refugees within one square kilometre, and suffers from severe poverty, overcrowding and deprivation. Clashes are a regular occurrence in the camp. In April nine people were killed and over 100 injured in a similar incident.
During this month’s violence, all UNRWA (United Nationals Relief and Works Agency) installations were closed, and Medical Aid for Palestinians’ (MAP) Maternal and Child Health programme activities inside the camp halted temporarily as our team of community midwives were unable to visit pregnant women and new mothers inside the camp. They were, however, able to continue visits in the surroundings areas and to those who had been displaced in Fawar, Hamshari, Mia Mia camp and Saida town.
Outbreaks of armed violence not only endanger the physical and psychological wellbeing and security of residents, but also prevent patients from accessing care at clinics and stop children from going to school.
MAP hopes that the latest ceasefire will hold, and will continue to monitor the situation in the camp. It is essential that NGOs and other agencies are able to continue to provide vital services to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, including MAP’s projects providing home-visits for new mothers and mental health and psychosocial support for child refugees.
