Ramallah – Together – Under the patronage and presence of Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa, today, Monday, an additional financing program was launched for a project to enhance the capabilities and efficiency of the Palestinian health system in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and enhance epidemic prevention, preparedness and response.

The project aims to provide a number of specialized medical services, which will contribute to raising the efficiency of the Palestinian health sector and reducing medical referrals, including: providing specialized health care services to 20,000 patients, in addition to providing mental health services and psychological support to 250,000 people in the Gaza Strip, and providing services X-ray imaging for 20,000 women, and providing various medical equipment to 25 hospitals to increase their capacity.

In addition to the partnership with the Ministry of Health in improving the quality of medical services, the Environmental Quality Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture will ben
efit from the project, which is funded by the World Bank, the World Food Organization, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Epidemic Control Fund, and the Kingdom of Norway, with multiple financing estimated at $45 million.

In this regard, the Prime Minister said: ‘Despite the many challenges, the government is focusing on three main priorities. The first is related to our support for Gaza, and the second is related to strengthening and unifying our institutions between Gaza and the West Bank, and reforming and developing them further so that we can provide our best to our people.’ Thirdly, improving the financial and economic situation in Palestine, as a result of the occupation practices and the war of extermination against our people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.’

He added: “The good thing about this project is that it covers and intersects with all three of these priorities, as it will contribute to supporting Gaza, and constitutes a major contribution in terms of providing services to heal
th institutions and our people in Gaza. This project will also have a positive impact in strengthening and reforming our institutions to raise them to the level of It will be more efficient and financially viable.’

The Prime Minister continued: ‘We are working on a large set of reforms for the health sector that will include reforming the transfer system, as well as reforming the health insurance system, and trying to work more on primary health care systems, so that we can divide work and responsibilities between the public and private sectors.’

Mustafa thanked all partners in the project, ‘which is a testimony to the international support that the Palestinian people receive from our friends and partners around the world at the political level, as well as at the development level, and for supporting this vital sector, which is one of our most important priorities in the government at this time.’

For his part, Minister of Health Majed Abu Ramadan said: ‘This multilateral initiative is of utmost importance
in our relentless pursuit and firm commitment to achieving better health services for our people. This program is designed to support the Palestinian health system’s resilience and efficiency and enhance its preparedness and response to emergencies.’

The Minister of Health indicated that the health system in the West Bank is on the verge of collapse unless the international community intervenes. The comprehensive financial crisis has severely affected the Palestinian health care sector, as the Ministry struggles to provide medicines and services to patients, especially those suffering from chronic diseases.

In turn, the representative of the World Bank in Palestine, Stefan Emblad, said: ‘This project will contribute to supporting the government’s reform agenda with regard to medical transfers and health insurance, meeting emergency health needs in the Gaza Strip, and recovering the health sector in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the project will extend until mid-2028.’ “.

For her part, Norway’s represen
tative to Palestine, Torin Viste, affirmed Norway’s continued support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state at all levels, noting that Norway has supported the Palestinian Authority since its establishment for the benefit of the budget, the health sector, and many other sectors.

All partners in the project, namely: the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Epidemic Fund, confirmed the continuation of joint efforts to enhance the capabilities of the Palestinian health sector and the services provided to citizens, and to support the government reform agenda.

The project was launched in the presence of representatives of: the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Norwegian Ambassador to Palestine, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Head of the Environmental Quality Authority.

Source: Maan News Agency