RAMALLAH, The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) signed yesterday a $1.5 million agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Palestine to help strengthen the trauma and emergency care system in Gaza.
The new grant will help to further enhance the capacity of the pre-hospital care services, including Trauma Stabilization Points, Emergency Medical Teams and the Ambulance Dispatch Center. It will also improve emergency preparedness level at key public hospitals focusing on pre-stocking of supplies and capacity building. It will also help to further institutionalize the Limb Reconstruction Centre (LRC) as part of the Ministry of Health’s tertiary health services.
WHO started its Gaza Trauma & Emergency Care Project in March 2018 in response to the surge of casualties during the weekly border protests known as the Great March of Return (GMR). The programme’s main objective is to ensure that local emergency health care services have a sustainable emergency and trauma care system.
This latest award follows a previous grant from the SDC, to the tune of around $1.05 million.
Richard Peeperkorn, Head of WHO Palestine said: “WHO welcomes this very generous donation from Switzerland, which will play a significant role in enhancing and sustaining the quality of trauma and emergency care in Gaza, and consequently help to reduce mortality and morbidity for two million people.”
“We’re delighted to continue our strong relationship with the Swiss government in this area of work, which has consistently supported WHO in its efforts to help the Palestinian people, and in particular those living in Gaza,” he added.
Marie Gilbrin, Director of SDC Office in Gaza & West Bank said: “It’s a great pleasure for us to extend our contributions to WHO to help the people of Gaza. Palestinians living in Gaza are vulnerable in many ways and are in particular need of this kind of support focusing on trauma and emergency care.”
“We have great hopes that their quality of life can be improved as a result of our ongoing collaborative efforts with WHO, and it is a privilege for SDC to play its part in this important and critical way.”
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency