This week the non-governmental humanitarian organization (NGO) CARE delivered $129,951 in new medical equipment to the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah. The equipment included a blood gas analyzer, a blood pressure machine, an electrocardiograph, and a vital signs monitor. A second delivery of equipment is scheduled next month and shipments of medical disposables (latex gloves etc..) will continue until September 2008. This is good news for for the West Bank and Gaza, since Sheikh Zayed Hospital is the only emergency facility and serves 270,000 Palestinians.
What is less known is that the all the equipment was paid for by US taxpayers under US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emergency Medical Assistance Program. The US program provides $30 million to prevent medical equipment shortages in Palestinian health services in the West Bank and Gaza. In fact, since 1993 the United States has given more than $1.7 billion in development programs to the West Bank and Gaza.
Now if only the US’ public diplomacy folks could make something of this…
Christopher R. Albon is a political science Ph.D. specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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That is silly. So-called Palestinians are receive like everyone else in Israel free access to health care. During times where Israel is being attacked, borders between Judea/Shomron/Gush Katif are closed for the most part, are then only those are in great medical need are let through. The question is why does the US government provide medical supplies for people who hate the US and indeed all Western civilization while it refuses to provide to its own citizen even basic universal health care. Charity begins at home!
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