Tunisia Power Crisis Leaves Infants Needing Manual Breathing Support, Patients in Darkness

Human Rights Watch has accused Tunisian authorities of failing to ensure adequate electricity and water supplies during two months of extreme heat, saying the shortages undermined the right to health and put lives at risk.

The crisis has left infants dependent on manual breathing support and patients in darkness, highlighting the dangers that power disruptions can pose to people who need medical care.

The organization’s allegations concern access to both electricity and water, two essential services whose disruption is particularly dangerous during prolonged periods of severe heat.

Human Rights Watch placed responsibility on the authorities for failing to secure sufficient supplies. Its assessment frames the shortages not simply as a disruption to daily life, but as a threat to health and survival.