Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS) has organised training and workshop sessions for 20 parents in Gaza on how to take care of their children with phenylketonuria (PKU) at the Gaza-based Ard El Insan Palestinian Benevolent Association’s training centre.
Dr Heba al-Mahallawi, health projects officer of QRCS’ mission in Gaza, said the project is saving many lives by minimising the complications of the disease.
“We make home visits and provide psychological support for the patients and their families. Our medical interventions are patient-oriented,” he said, adding that this $224,000 project helped 120 beneficiaries from different parts of Gaza.
Iyad Najjar from Khan Younes, southern Gaza, who have two children (13-year-old girl and nine-year-old boy) said they discovered the problem six months after their births. “At first, it was a shocking and difficult experience but my wife and I quickly learnt how to take care of our children in a healthy and scientific way,” he noted.
Najjar became an expert in taking care of his children through QRCS training sessions. He also benefited from others’ experiences with their children. Ard El Insan Palestinian Benevolent Association’s medical consultant Dr Younes Abo al-Nour noted that the project covers an under-served group of 250 patients in Gaza, who suffer serious complications like behavioural problems and mental disorders. “The cost of medical care for each patient is as high as $300 per week, which is unaffordable for many parents in Gaza. The patients need a special diet eliminating foods high in phenylalanine,” he added. The doctor lauded QRCS’ funding of the project to supply 3,700 milk and 5,000 flour packs apart from the holding of health education workshops and the launch of media campaigns to raise public awareness about this humanitarian cause.
QRCS makes home visits and provides psychological support for patients and their families.
