The Palestinian Association for Human
Rights (witness) is following with great concern the Lebanese Ministry of
Health's registration of 13 cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and expresses
its fear that it may spread in Palestinian camps and gatherings in Lebanon, where
it meets several conditions that make it an easy target for this virus,
including:
First: a very high population density, which means the ease of transmission
of infection from one patient to another.
Second: Stressful economic conditions and high poverty rates make it difficult
to secure a livelihood, not to mention the ability to purchase necessary
protective supplies such as masks, sterile liquids, and cleaning materials.
Third: A weak health structure, including clinics, dispensaries, and medical
centers, which makes it unable to diagnose this disease as well as treat it.
Fourth: School classes are crowded with students and the absence of a private
nurse for each school to check on possible medical conditions.
Fifth: The presence of waste in alleys and between homes.
The Palestinian Association for Human Rights (witness),
as it calls on everyone specially UNRWA to assume its responsibilities, it
demands for the following:
1. The need for the camp residents to assume
their responsibilities towards general and accurate hygiene in homes and
alleys.
2. The need to have a private nurse in every UNRWA’s
school.
3. Rehabilitation of the medical staff in
hospitals, clinics and dispensaries to deal with these cases.
4. Carry out awareness campaigns among the
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon by all responsible parties.
5. Carry out pesticide spraying campaigns in
all camps and gatherings
6. Dealing with landfills in a healthier and
preventive manner better than they are now.
March 5, 2020
Palestinian Association for Human Rights
(witness)