Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) has inked three agreements with Palestine Red Crescent (PRC) to conduct specific programmes and services worth nearly $400,000 for Palestinians following the recent attacks on Gaza.
The planned projects include the purchase of two ambulances at a cost of $144,000, improvement of clinical rehabilitation services at Al Amal Hospital, Khan Younis, at $115,000 and psychological rehabilitation and support for victims of the Israeli aggression on Gaza at $135,000.
Emphasising the importance of the agreements, QRC secretary-general Saleh bin Ali al-Mohannadi said: “We are proud of our strong partnership with PRC, especially as its staff kept serving the Palestinians despite the bombings and destruction during the war. As such, we are keen on supporting it to continue its services for
Palestine’s needy and distressed people.”
Dr Akram Nassar, head of the QRC office in Gaza, said: “We will soon initiate the clinical rehabilitation support project in southern Gaza’s Al Amal Hospital, as it is the only hospital that still provides medical rehabilitation and support services following the destruction of Al Wafaa Medical Hospital in Gaza.”
QRC will boost the capacity of the medical rehabilitation section at the hospital to meet the growing needs and accommodate the large number of patients. He said the procurement of two ambulances for PRC was an attempt to make up for some of the losses in medical vehicles and facilities, which were targeted by Israeli attacks.
Inaugurated in June 2013 by QRC, Al Amal Hospital’s medical rehabilitation section offered medical rehabilitation and support services for more than 200 cases in the enclave. It was evidently beneficial during and after the aggression, by receiving and treating tens of injuries.
On the role of psychological rehabilitation and support for victims of the aggression, Dr Fathi Fleifil, director of the PRC Psychological Health Division, said the project would provide emergency psychological support for victims of the war, such as the injured, families of martyrs, children and the displaced, as well as enhance the performance and skills of PRC psychological service providers, who have direct contact with the public.
Dr Fleifil noted that the project will rehabilitate and develop the seashore psychological release centre in Deir al-Balah. He also lauded the firm relationship with QRC.