ID :
355480
Wed, 01/28/2015 - 08:42
Auther :

QRC, WHO Sign Pact to Support Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem

Doha, January 27 (QNA) - As part of its continuous support to the Palestinian people, particularly in health services and vital infrastructure development, Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) has signed a bilateral agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) - Jerusalem Office to provide the Al-Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital in Jerusalem with its basic needs of medicines and medical consumables, at a total cost of $500,000. With this assistance, QRC seeks to overcome the severe lack of such essential supplies at the hospital's pharmacy, due to a protracted financial squeeze amid the Israeli crackdown on the Palestinian people and institutions, which stand often unable to fulfill their responsibilities for health and social services for the Palestinians. Despite that shortfall in medical supplies, the hospital persisted on doing its job for the patients. Recently, it has received more than 300 critical cases referred from Gaza following last year's war, who were all treated for free. It has also accommodated the injured in the West Bank and Jerusalem clashes as a result of the war on Gaza. Obviously, this additional burden caused an overconsumption and subsequently depletion of many crucial medications and medical consumables. QRC's initiative to provide some of the needed supplies is a humanitarian attempt to deal with the difficulty faced by the hospital and its clients. In partnership with Islamic Development Bank (IDB), QRC is currently conducting a major project to develop the hospital, to enable it to continue its medical and educational services for the Palestinians. Established in 1968, the 8,000 sq-m, Aqsa-overlooking hospital offers cheap medical care for all Palestinians at minimal prices to suit the poor and low-income patients, who are a majority in the Palestinian society amid the Israeli tight economic blockade. In some cases, the poorest are even served for free. With a capacity of 250 beds, 70 of which are in the ICU, the hospital is run by 800 medical, technical, and administrative staff. It is the largest and oldest medical facility to serve Jerusalem Arab inhabitants and the comers from the West bank and the Gaza Strip. As such, it is a main destination for medical referrals; 60-70% of its total annual patients, who usually are serious cases, are referred from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The hospital is also a leading Palestinian medical education institution, and it is recognized by the Palestine Medical Council (PMC) as a training center for resident physicians in nine specialties: obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesia, and diagnostic radiology. During 2013, the hospital received more than 15,000 inpatient cases, 22,000 emergency cases, and 39,000 outpatient cases, with an annual beds occupancy rate of 90-100%. Therefore, it is very important to uphold this historic medical establishment, which assumes honorable responsibilities for the service of our Palestinian brothers. (QNA)

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