Since the imposition of the siege in 2006 after Hamas won the election, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated dramatically for its 1,6 inhabitants. At the same time, the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza strip has been constantly hampered by the Israeli authorities.
Particularly concerned about the health crisis, Doctors Worldwide Turkey immediately sent its first team of doctors to carry on a need assessment and to meet with Gaza authorities and health professionals working in several hospitals. Our first projects in the Gaza strip started in 2006, including the delivery of medicines, medical supplies and special equipment for radiology and laboratory departments. DWWT also contributed to the implementation of the Nasser Hospital Radiology Centre. Since then, we have regularly sent surgical teams to Gaza hospitals and Palestinian doctors have undertaken special trainings with our doctors.
For this year 2012, DWW Turkey has decided to integrate its new projects for Gaza within the wider framework of its multifaceted operation “Health Spring in Fraternal Countries” gathering projects in Libya, Lebanon, Yemen and Gaza. These projects aim at exploiting the opportunities opened by the “Arab Spring” in order to improve healthcare delivery and health infrastructures in these countries.
The Project « Health for Everyone in Gaza » has been planned in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza and with another Turkish NGO “Filistin Beyaz Eller Derneği “. As part of this project, from January 12th to January 21st, DWWT sent a team composed of seven volunteers: a general surgeon, an urologist, an orthopedist, an ophthalmologist, two family medicine specialists and a representative who carried out further need assessment. The six physicians performed a total of 398 examinations and 33 surgical operations in the three hospitals of Al-Shifa, An-Nasser and Ash Sheikh Radwan. Besides, 22 Palestinian physicians undertook a special training in urology.
The next team will leave for Gaza in March. Such projects will go on over the next two years with a strong emphasize on formation and capacity building.
For further information concerning DWWT projects in Gaza please contact us: coranicolao@yyd.org.tr