Health Crisis in Ceuta Amid Migrant Surge
A troubling health situation is developing in Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous region, as reports indicate that groups of illegal immigrants are leaving trash and even feces on the city’s beaches and in schools, leading to unsanitary conditions.
Last month, over 72,000 illegal migrants crossed from Morocco, prompting health officials to express concerns that the enclave, with a population of about 87,000, is not equipped to manage the needs of the thousands still in the area.
Dr. Guadalupe Sánchez from Ceuta University Hospital appeared on a news program on Antenna 3, stating that the influx of migrants is overwhelming local health services and government capabilities. She described the situation as a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
Many migrants are currently living in temporary shelters along the coastline, and Dr. Sánchez noted that people are hesitant to visit the beach. She pointed out, “The coast is occupied, full of huts, people eat there, throw away food, it’s full of clothes, excrement, cigarettes.”
She further emphasized the health risks, stating, “This is a sanitary disaster because my WhatsApp is full of pictures of impetigo, scabies, contagious diseases, with people in Ceuta saying, ‘Look what happened to my child!'”
“The beaches are polluted. They’re obviously polluted because people are urinating and bathing there,” Dr. Sánchez added.
In addition, she mentioned her own fears as a parent; he doesn’t allow his son to roam the city’s streets alone. She remarked that despite government messages about a return to normalcy in Ceuta, many parents are anxious about their children’s safety, especially regarding potential assaults by young male migrants.
A school in Ceuta, which has reportedly been used as a makeshift camp by migrants, encountered similar issues when staff found a “bucket full of excrement” upon arrival to prepare for the new school year.
There are even serious allegations that several migrant girls under 14 are receiving care at the local hospital after reportedly being raped on the streets.
A local woman shared her feelings of insecurity, stating she only felt safe with her dog, while expressing frustration at the perceived lack of action from police and military. “I can’t live like this, I’m tired of it,” she lamented.
Government representatives, including Deputy Secretary of Health and Social Policy Carmen Funes, have warned of a potential collapse in local health services. On Tuesday, she confirmed that about 12,000 illegal immigrants from Morocco are still present from the initial influx and indicated that “normality will not be restored in the city until they return to Morocco.”
Funes expressed concern over the risk of waterborne diseases, stressing that the care shouldn’t solely rely on the willingness of health workers who attend to migrants on the beaches.
Mr. Enrique Robilalta, President of the Ceuta Medical Association, alerted that the city could face outbreaks of cholera, tuberculosis, measles, and infectious diarrhea.
