The Big Heart Foundation, based in Sharjah, made a US$100,000 contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and, in support of the Agency’s recently launched call for funds, “A lifeline for Gaza: sustaining urgent health services for Palestine refugees”. The UNRWA appeal seeks to support UNRWA in responding to the short and medium-term health care and psychosocial needs of Palestine refugees injured during the ongoing Great March of Return demonstrations which began on 30 March 2018. This is on top of funds appealed for in the 2018 UNRWA Emergency Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
Specifically, the contribution from the Big Heart Foundation will go towards employing additional practical nursing staff across the 22 UNRWA health centres in Gaza to ensure standardized care, particularly for those released prematurely from hospitals. Practical nurses will also be engaged in providing mental health and psychosocial support.
“This much-needed contribution by the Big Heart Foundation towards mitigating the extraordinary additional stresses placed on the collapsing Gaza health system in the wake of the Great March of Return demonstrations is very welcome,” says UNRWA Director of Operations in Gaza, Matthias Schmale. “We are very grateful to the Big Heart Foundation for addressing the needs of Palestine refugees in Gaza at this critical time.”
Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of The Big Heart Foundation, said: “The consequences of such prolonged and sustained violence mean that healthcare resources are stretched to their limits – and beyond. It is not just a case of building more hospitals and more care units, the lack of qualified professionals has to be an immediate priority in order for people to receive emergency treatment, and be given expert diagnosis and prognosis in the hands of experienced doctors and nurses. In funding this project, we are able to provide not just more care for the patients who are in such dire need of treatment but also relieve some of the enormous pressure which the medical staff are under, in turn, helping them to be more efficient and effective in their roles.”
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Gunness Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659 Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267 c.gunness@unrwa.org
Sami Mshasha Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295 Office: +972 (0)258 90724 s.mshasha@unrwa.org