Ramallah, West Bank - The Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah held an event on Wednesday to celebrate the installation of medical emergency equipment it received in late June through the Emergency Medical Assistance Program funded by the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID). The event, which highlighted the hospital's increased capability to respond to health crises thanks to the new medical machines, was attended by the Ministry of Health representative Dr. Naim Sabra, Director General of West Bank Hospitals, USAID Deputy Director R. David Harden, the Director of Sheikh Zayed Hospital Dr. Fawzi Salameh, a member of the Hospital Board of Trustees Dr. Fahd Khalaf, and Ms. Martha Myers, the Country Director of Care International, the non-governmental organization that implemented the program.

USAID's $129,951 contribution provided Sheikh Zayed Hospital with several machines essential to emergency medical response, such as an anesthesia machine, blood gas analyzer, blood pressure machine, electrocardiograph, and a vital signs monitor. As part of the same assistance package, the hospital will receive other medical equipment next month. In addition, deliveries of pharmaceuticals and medical disposables are expected to continue until September 2008. Earlier this year, the hospital received $130,037 worth of pharmaceuticals and medical disposables, such as thermometers, wound dressings, and catheters.

"USAID, through CARE International, aims to provide rapid assistance to respond to the most important Palestinian health needs. This assistance answers Sheikh Zayed Hospital's request for vital medical equipment to best help those whose lives are in danger," said R. David Harden, USAID's Deputy Director.

Sheikh Zayed Hospital, which is the only emergency hospital in the West Bank and Gaza, has five resident doctors, 30 outside doctors providing special medical services, and 27 nurses who serve over 270,000 Palestinians.

USAID's Emergency Medical Assistance Program is a $30 million initiative, which provides emergency assistance to alleviate medical shortages at Palestinian hospitals and health clinics and thus contributes to the well-being of tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

Since 1993, USAID has provided more than $1.7 billion in U.S. economic assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza via projects designed to combat poverty, improve health and education, improve water services and infrastructure, create jobs, and promote democracy and good governance.