Data Sources: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations Environment Programme, Population Action International

Welcome to the eighteenth edition of the Health Inforum Newsletter. We hope that the next year might bring Peace and Prosperity to Palestinian People and for all nations.
In our ongoing efforts to provide useful information to the whole of the health community, we continue to welcome any comments or suggestions you might have to help us improve this newsletter.

This newsletter discusses the following items:

1. PRCS Weekly Report on Health Incidents (15-27 December 2002).
2. Health Sector Bi-weekly Report, Number 6 (25 November 2002).

This Programme Update is intended for reporting on Annual Appeals.
Appeal Target CHF 3,745,706

Period covered: July - December 2002

"At a Glance"

Appeal coverage: 42.7%

Related Appeals: MENA regional programmes (01.93/2003)

Outstanding needs: CHF 2,144,751

Update: Instability in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has continued. Palestinians in the autonomous/occupied territories (A/OT) have faced many difficulties. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has faced a huge task to maintain humanitarian assistance

RAFAH, Egypt, Dec 31 (AFP) - Israel has not allowed 12 ambulances donated by Saudi Arabia to the Palestinians to cross into the Gaza Strip, Egyptian border guards at this crossing point said Tuesday.

The ambulances and a truck loaded with medicine and medical equipment also donated by the Saudis have been waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing for a week, they said.

Israeli authorities controlling the other side of the crossing have not responded to Egypt's request to let the convoy go through, they said.

The city of Rafah is split by the border