The Kuwaiti charitable hospital in Rafah concluded on Sunday a medical aid program launched on December 1, 2014, to help Palestinian patients in bad need for support in shadow of continuing Israeli siege of the enclave.
Dr. Mohammad Al-Masri, the hospital director, told KUNA the campaign has been launched to aid hundreds of Palestinian patients who cannot get adequate treatment from ill-equipped medical centers and clinics in the strip. Up to 802 surgeries have been conducted by the hospital at charges, lowered by more than 50 percent, he said.
The hospital used to perform 120-150 operations per month, some 250-300 surgeries in two months before the campaign, but in December and January, the hospital conducted 802 operations, triple the number of the surgeries that had been performed before the campaign, said Dr. Al-Masri, noting that the figures indicate bad need among many cash-strapped Gazans for financial support to get medical treatment.
Despite success in accommodating such a large number of patients, Dr. Al-Masri expressed hope that the services and facilities would be updated and improved, also indicating that the hospital has been operating with old equipment, installed when it was built in March 2007.
The director expressed hope the Kuwaiti leaders and peoples would grant greater financial support for the hospital, called for help to employ more staff and hike the workers' salaries.
He greeted His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti government and people, describing the Amir as the brother who always stands on side of the Palestinian people in crises and hard times.
For his part, Dr. Ibrahim Abu Nasser, a medical consultant at the hospital, said the campaign, which was distinguished with various surgeries, was extended for two weeks in response to Gazans' demand.
Hard economic and financial conditions, experienced by the Gazans following the latest Israeli aggression, prompted the hospital to offer medical aid for token charges, he said, also expressing deep gratitude to Kuwait for its substantial backing for the strip residents.
The Kuwaiti hospital treated hundreds of Palestinians during the latest major Israeli offensive after the bombing of Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah.