UAE pledges $64.5m for East Jerusalem hospital to support Palestinian health care
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza The UAE has provided a $64.5 million grant to a long-standing hospital in East Jerusalem that has played a vital role in treating Palestinian patients. The major aid package, allocated under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed and announced on Monday, will support operational expenses and medical staff at Al Makassed Hospital, as well as helping to fund upgrades. The hospital opened in 1968 with an initial capacity of 20 beds, which has since increased to 250. About 950 medical and administrative staff are employed at the facility, which serves more than 66,000 patients from Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Al Makassed provides a specialised residency programme for medical training, covering 13 disciplines, which is accredited by the Palestinian Medical Council and the Jordanian Medical Council. More than 540 specialised doctors have graduated from the programme over the years. The UAE is committed to bolstering health care for Palestinians, with services hit hard by Israel's war on Gaza. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs and chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, emphasised the UAE's support for all sections of Palestinian society. He stressed Sheikh Mohamed's "strong interest and unwavering support" for the Palestinian people, state news agency Wam reported. Sheikh Theyab noted that the Emirates continues to deliver assistance to the healthcare sector, in co-ordination with international agencies such as the World Health Organisation. Dr Tareq Al Ameri, chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, said Al Makassed has played an important role in delivering quality health care to Palestinians. "The UAE collaborates with international organisations and regional institutions to strengthen healthcare services in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and other priority areas," he said. "Al Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem is a crucial medical facility, specialising in cardiac surgeries, paediatric and orthopaedic clinics, medical research and comprehensive healthcare services." WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his organisation's gratitude for the UAE's humanitarian efforts. "WHO is grateful to the United Arab Emirates for its support of Al Makassed Hospital so that it can continue to provide essential care," he said. "The UAE's support makes it possible for WHO to provide the hospital with much-needed medicines and supplies, scale up its medical imaging capacity, improve the obstetrics and gynaecology department, and help to train over 100 residents across 11 specialities." Dr Omar Abu Zayda, director general at the hospital, hailed the financial intervention of the UAE and its show of support for Palestinians. "The UAE's unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian healthcare sector allows us to sustain our operations and fulfil our duties efficiently," he added. "The UAE's backing means a great deal to us as Palestinians. Since its founding by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has consistently stood by the Palestinian people, particularly in Jerusalem. We take pride in the UAE's firm, historic and ongoing stance in supporting Jerusalem's institutions and improving healthcare services, especially for women and children." The UAE previously donated $25 million in aid in July, 2022 for the hospital, which was pushed to the brink of closure after local government funding was cut during the Covid-19 pandemic. The death toll in Gaza since the start of the war on October 7, 2023 has now passed 50,000, with more than 113,000 people injured. The UAE launched a humanitarian campaign in response to the outbreak of the conflict, called Operation Gallant Knight 3. More than 65,000 tonnes of aid has been delivered through air, and across sea and land to date, with close to 600 air trips, seven transport ships and nearly 3,500 lorries used to carry goods from Egypt into Gaza. Additionally, an air drop operation has delivered more than 3,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid by parachute in inaccessible areas.
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