After the 2014 war in Gaza, the number of newborns with serious health conditions has increased dramatically. In mid-2016, 14% of infants had a 40% chance of dying within a….
After the 2014 war in Gaza, the number of newborns with serious health conditions has increased dramatically. In mid-2016, 14% of infants had a 40% chance of dying within a month after birth.
A sharp increase in births before term or too small babies, and of babies with birth defects cause this strong increase in neonatal mortality, estimated at about 2000-2500 babies per year more than in the past.
The deterioration of the neonatal health can be stopped or at least reduced.
There are certain environmental factors, in the post-war, which have already been identified as responsible for the deterioration of neonatal health, and is needed to confirm their in body concentration in mothers and newborns and their modalities of action, and test the relevance of other potential factors.
What is most worrying is that the factors that have a negative effect on neonatal health and were already identified are widespread and stable in the environment and accumulate in organisms, two conditions that make their negative effect continual in time for many years.
These contaminants trans-pass from mother to the fetus in utero.
It is therefore necessary
- Continuous surveillance at birth through a register of births to monitor if the worsening of the neonatal health continues in time
- To study in depth the mechanisms of action of contaminants that can produce damage during life in utero, and study the level of contamination of mothers and newborns, also analytically, and the environmental risk.
It ‘s very important that these studies should be undertaken as soon as possible because we are sure, sa scientists and doctors, that at least part of the additional “invisible death” of infants that occurred in 2016 can be avoided by continuing monitoring and analysis.
We are therefore motivated us to ask for your support for the work we are doing in collaboration with colleagues obstetricians and pediatricians and the group of the Gaza midwives at the major Maternity hospital in Gaza city.
We have been engaged for years in supporting the health of infants and their mothers through voluntary and independent work, inclusive of scientific research (subject of specific publications), supply of medical equipment in hospitals Maternity and Pediatrics (ultrasound machines, incubators , small equipment), support for the training of medical personnel in Gaza (training of working groups in the Maternity) and for the training of doctors in hospitals outside Gaza. We wish to continue our work helping to reduce the number of infants “invisible victims” of the war.
The expences
This project will last one year from the time of its inception. 60,000 Euros are needed. 70% of the funds will be used in Gaza, to support the work of local staff: 11 people, including two doctors, midwives 7, a technical computer and a statistician; the rest of the funds will be used to commission analysis at internationally certified laboratories; no more than 5% will be used for travel and residence in Gaza of our scientific team.
We will keep you informed of the date of kick off of the project and in one year from the start we will publish the results on-line and will make a detailed report of of the use of funds.
Call launched by Maniverso Onlus in collaboration with Nwrg (Newweapons Research group), non-profit organization. February 14, 2017