Gabes, Tunisia – Children in the Tunisian governorate of Gabes are falling ill at an alarming rate, prompting widespread protests and raising urgent questions about the environmental and public health consequences of the region’s phosphate processing industry. Recent incidents,beginning in October 2025,have seen scores of children experiencing fainting spells and respiratory distress,adding to a long-standing crisis in a community already grappling with exceptionally high rates of cancer.
For decades, residents of gabes have lived in the shadow of the Groupe Chimique, a state-owned company central to Tunisia’s phosphate exports. while vital to the national economy, the company’s operations have resulted in severe ecological devastation, contaminating air and water with toxic chemicals. The cumulative effect has been devastating for the local population, transforming Gabes into what many now bitterly call Tunisia’s “cancer capital,” where nearly every household reports at least one cancer patient. The current surge in acute illnesses,coupled with a chronically underfunded and overwhelmed medical system,has ignited public fury and demands for immediate action.
The most recent wave of health emergencies began to escalate in early October 2025, centered around the Chott Essalem area. Reports surfaced of children collapsing at school and at home, exhibiting symptoms consistent with chemical exposure. Desperate parents sought medical attention, but the regional hospital was quickly overwhelmed, turning away patients in need of critical care. harrowing images and videos documenting the children’s suffering quickly circulated on social media platforms, including Al Jazeera, sparking a national outcry.
The crisis is rooted in the phosphate processing plants’ discharge of hazardous waste into the environment. This has led to an alarming concentration of respiratory illnesses and rare cancers-types rarely seen elsewhere in Tunisia. Residents point to a direct correlation between the Groupe chimique’s activities and the deteriorating health of the community.
on October 19,2025,reports indicated a growing sense of desperation as the scale of the incidents became apparent. Activists and concerned citizens organized protests, demanding accountability from the government and the Groupe Chimique. Nawaat.org reported widespread public outrage and calls for systemic change.
The situation remains volatile as of November 18, 2025, 09:18:13 GMT. While the government has pledged to investigate the causes of the illnesses and address the environmental concerns,residents remain skeptical,demanding concrete measures to protect their health and ensure a enduring future for Gabes. The long-term consequences of decades of industrial pollution, and the immediate need for adequate medical care, hang heavily over this community, fueling a growing movement demanding the right to breathe clean air.
