New clinic in Palestinian village eases life for hundreds of patients
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A staff of three
doctors and three nurses receive dozens of patients every day at the clinic. General Practitioner Dr Basim Abu Khalid says, “I am very happy that we can now treat out patients in a proper
clinic
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org
More
than 3, 500 people will be able to enjoy the benefits of a modern clinic recently established in the Palestinian village of Deir Abu Mishal, with the support of World Vision.
The marginalized village became part of the West Ramallah Area Development Programme (ADP) this year.
ADP staff explain that there was a great need for this clinic. The old one was located in a small and obsolete building. Some patients were treated in the corridor and there was no place to expand the services offered to the villagers.
The ADP contributed US$20,000 while the community succeeded in raising US$15,000 for this purpose.
It also raised enough money to renovate the old clinic building and turn it into a kindergarten.
A staff of three doctors and three nurses receive dozens of patients every day at the clinic. General Practitioner Dr Basim Abu Khalid says, 'I am very happy that we can now treat out patients in a proper clinic. There was no privacy in the old one and the overcrowding situation had a negative affect on the hygiene level. We have expanded our services to include dentistry and gynecology.'
The new clinic also has a lab and a pharmacy that are the only ones in the village.
A mother who came to the clinic with her seven-months-old girl suffering from high fever says that if there was no clinic in the village she would have had to take her daughter to the city of Ramallah. 'This would have been too costly for me. A trip to the city and a doctor's visitation could cost about US$20. My husband owns a small shop and we cannot afford such expenses,' she says.
In addition to the clinic, World Vision plans to establish a cultural centre that will also be used as a women's centre. It will be the only centre of its kind in the area.
The marginalized village became part of the West Ramallah Area Development Programme (ADP) this year.
ADP staff explain that there was a great need for this clinic. The old one was located in a small and obsolete building. Some patients were treated in the corridor and there was no place to expand the services offered to the villagers.
The ADP contributed US$20,000 while the community succeeded in raising US$15,000 for this purpose.
It also raised enough money to renovate the old clinic building and turn it into a kindergarten.
A staff of three doctors and three nurses receive dozens of patients every day at the clinic. General Practitioner Dr Basim Abu Khalid says, 'I am very happy that we can now treat out patients in a proper clinic. There was no privacy in the old one and the overcrowding situation had a negative affect on the hygiene level. We have expanded our services to include dentistry and gynecology.'
The new clinic also has a lab and a pharmacy that are the only ones in the village.
A mother who came to the clinic with her seven-months-old girl suffering from high fever says that if there was no clinic in the village she would have had to take her daughter to the city of Ramallah. 'This would have been too costly for me. A trip to the city and a doctor's visitation could cost about US$20. My husband owns a small shop and we cannot afford such expenses,' she says.
In addition to the clinic, World Vision plans to establish a cultural centre that will also be used as a women's centre. It will be the only centre of its kind in the area.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
