COVID-19 cases were first documented in Gaza in early March, but the virus did not begin to spread rapidly until August. Gaza’s fragile health system is ill-equipped to manage the needs of its 2 million people.
Along with our partner Rahma Worldwide, MedGlobal has donated critical supplies to local hospitals, including over 630,000 PPE items and 12,000 hand sanitizers. MedGlobal also provided 10,000 COVID-19 test kits and a critically needed PCR machine, to help build testing capacity and stem the spread of the virus. Furthermore, MedGlobal distributed educational brochures on social isolation and personal hygiene to quarantine centers.
In addition to the COVID-19 response, MedGlobal continues to support core healthcare in Gaza. MedGlobal and Rahma Worldwide together fund the Pediatrics ICU Department of the Kamal Adwan Hospital. This emergency pediatrics department is critical, particularly as the people in Gaza are cut off from external healthcare, and its medical staff have saved hundreds of children’s lives. MedGlobal also supports life-saving dialysis treatments for patients with cancer or kidney disease.
MedGlobal and Rahma Worldwide sent a medical convoy to Gaza in January 2020. MedGlobal continues to support patients in Gaza by donating lifesaving medications, medical supplies, and PPE, in partnership with Rahma Worldwide and the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA).
Specifically, this convoy included overseeing the distribution of medical containers with $675k of cancer and dialysis medications to Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and the European Hospital. We also delivered a mammogram machine, 4 baby incubators, and a container of medical supplies to Kamal Edwan Hospital, which were donated by the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) and valued at $2.3 million. The medical team also visited the Al-Shifa Hospital and provided care for patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and led follow-ups on the Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training we provided in June 2019.
This was MedGlobal’s second medical volunteer trip to Gaza. In June 2019, MedGlobal deployed the first medical, surgical, and training mission which consisted of 14 physicians and nurses in collaboration with PAMA. Our team trained our Palestinian colleagues on the use of new technology, including portable ultrasound, and donated 6 devices to the Al-Shifa and Al-Naser Hospitals.
March 20, 2020 In the midst of the deadly global COVID-19 pandemic, MedGlobal urges immediate and urgent action to support refugees, displaced persons, and the
MedGlobal is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19. We have suspended our short-term missions until further notice, however, our ongoing programs are operating to provide
MedGlobal is returning to Gaza twice in 2020 to provide training and medical care in partnership with Rahma Worldwide. Training throughout the week will include
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