Maternal health care in Palestinian camps || Articles || Newspapers

In Lebanon’s Palestinian camps, factors such as overcrowding, lack of fresh water and nutritious food, and a socio-cultural predilection for big families leave mothers and their newborn children vulnerable to bouts of diarrhea, viral hepatitis, fevers, intestinal infestations and other illnesses.
Midwives have traditionally provided crucial care for mothers in Lebanon and around the world. Their contribution is celebrated on International Day of the Midwife on May 5. MAP inaugurated its own maternal and child health care program in 2008 following the 2007 conflict between Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese Army in the Nahr al-Bared camp. It operates in Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps outside of Tripoli in addition to Ain al-Hilweh in Sidon, and employs a total of 15 midwives and nurses who visit beneficiaries in their homes. (The Daily Star)