IBSA Fund Annual Report- STATE OF PALESTINE 3

Partners

Palestinian National Authority; Palestinian Red Crescent Society; UNDP/PAPP

Overview

This project rehabilitated the physical infrastructure and upgraded medical capacities of the nine-storey Cultural and Hospital Centre for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the Gaza Strip.  The rehabilitated hospital includes patient recovery rooms, administrative offices, a cafeteria and rooms for psychosocial support activities.

Key Achievements

• The project enabled the population of the Gaza Strip to receive better continuous health-care services through the physically rehabilitated and medically upgraded capacities of the Cultural and Hospital Centre. It rehabilitated, equipped and furnished the open heart and catheterization operation theatre, patient recovery rooms, emergency response rooms, medical intervention rooms for chronic diseases, administrative offices, a cafeteria and rooms for psychosocial support activities. In addition, it increased the number of patient rooms by an additional 50 to 60 beds.
• Health facility improvements have resulted in enhanced crisis management responses to emergencies and chronic diseases affecting the general health of the Palestinian population and in increased access for the population of Gaza to health-care services. 

Challenges

• As the hospital refurbishment was ongoing, minor additional damage was caused by hostilities in 2014.
• Delays were experienced in obtaining permission for the entry of construction materials and hospital equipment and furniture into Gaza.

Link of the Project to National Priorities

The project was designed in line with the Palestinian National Health Strategy, which has the objective of assuring the rights of all citizens to quality, sustainable primary, secondary and tertiary health-care services. In line with that strategy, it sought to strengthen partnerships to ensure access for all Palestinians to health services.