1 January 2021
It has been an incredibly tough year for the Palestinian people. Families across the West Bank, Gaza and the Palestinian refugee camps of Lebanon were enduring multiple and overlapping humanitarian crises long before the arrival of COVID-19. This new, global healthcare crisis has pushed Palestinian healthcare systems close to collapse.
Amid the difficulty and pain of this year, the pandemic has also brought to us all a newfound appreciation for the heroism of health workers here in the UK and around the world. Their value is measured not only in the countless lives they have saved, but also the hope they have brought in dark times.
I have never been more proud to be President of an organisation that places support for health workers at the core of its mission. Thanks to you, MAP has once again proven itself able to respond rapidly and robustly in times of crisis. In 2020 it provided Palestinian doctors and nurses with personal protective equipment and disinfectants needed to prevent infections, and vital medicines and equipment treat those who have fallen ill from COVID-19.
Across the region, MAP helped tackle the secondary effects of the pandemic, including through psychosocial activities to address a burgeoning mental health crisis, and dietary support for children suffering malnutrition. At the same time, MAP’s ongoing support to other essential services such as neonatal intensive care and cancer treatment has helped ensure their continued functioning while resources and focus have been diverted to pandemic response.
Amid still-growing needs there is a glimmer of light on the horizon, in the form of vaccines that bring the promise of a future shift from response to recovery. With a committed emphasis on the sustainable development of health services, MAP is also ready to help Palestinians build back stronger when the time comes.
When you donate, you are not only helping save lives with vital medicines and equipment. You are also providing another resource just as precious: hope.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your continued support for MAP.
I wish you all a happy, and hopeful, new year.
Baroness Morris of Bolton, MAP President
Your support is keeping the hopes of Palestinian children for the future alive. Please send a gift today. Thank you
