US Govt supports Gaza outpatient service – USAID press release/Non-UN document

US Government Supports Gaza Outpatient Service

Gaza – On Thursday June 15, a shipment of essential medical supplies, including an incubator, defibrillator, and cesarean kit, was delivered to the Patient's Friends Benevolence Society (PFBS) in Gaza. A gift from the people of the United States, these supplies will support patients from nineteen villages throughout the Gaza Strip who need treatment for emergency and chronic conditions. Within the next ten days, PFBS will receive shipments of commodities worth $152,000.

After a needs assessment in late May, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) worked with local firms to deliver the needed equipment within three weeks. Such cooperation with Palestinian NGO partners is part of the $245 million humanitarian assistance program announced on April 7 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and clearly illustrates how the United States government is continuing to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

This contribution from the United States government will enable the Patients Friends Benevolent Society clinic to expand its daily operations to serve up to 300 patients as well as increase emergency services from eight to twenty-four hours a day. Moreover, according to PFBS Chairman Dr. Mohammad Fisal Abushahla, the clinic will resume performing surgery and other clinical procedures which had been suspended.

The PFBS clinic serves many Gazans who cannot afford the cost of government health insurance. During the last three months, the non-payment of salaries has led to a drastic increase in demand from patients unable to pay for supplies or service. Despite these circumstances, the clinic employs 130 staff members who manage multiple departments, including: pediatrics, gynecology, dental, neurology, and emergency medicine.

USAID is a U.S. government agency that provides assistance for humanitarian and economic support projects overseas. Since 1993, USAID's West Bank and Gaza Mission has distributed more than $1.7 billion in assistance to Palestinians.