13 August 2024
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has equipped a new urgent care centre in Beita, south Nablus, to address critical health needs amid escalating Israeli military and settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
For 57 years, Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have lived under Israel’s military control and occupation. Since Israel’s military assault on Gaza in October 2023, military violence and invasions of towns and cities has intensified.
Israeli forces have systematically segregated Palestinian villages and cities across the West Bank through regular checkpoints and road closures. These increased restrictions on movement have obstructed access to hospitals and healthcare centres for tens of thousands of Palestinians. “Israeli forces have killed 18 Palestinians in Beita since May 2021 and, tragically, half of them passed away due to delays in receiving essential medical care,” says Mahmoud Barham, mayor of the town of Beita.
In response, MAP has been working to equip four urgent care centres in Beita, Biddya, Ni’lin, and Silwad with the equipment, drugs, and medical supplies they need to treat Palestinians that have no access to nearby hospitals due to road closures and ongoing violence. MAP has also provided primary trauma care training to healthcare workers who work in these centres, and delivered first aid and first responder training to community volunteers.
Last month, MAP equipped the first urgent care centre in Beita. Communities there have been subject to increasing settler attacks, Israeli military incursions and road closures, preventing them from accessing healthcare services. Recent incidents of Israeli forces and settler attacks has resulted in an increased influx of injuries among Palestinians who are protesting the establishment of an illegal settlement outpost, on Mount Sbeih, where the Israeli government approved the legalisation of the Givat Eviatar outpost in June.
The urgent care centre in Beita aims to serve at least 35,000 Palestinians from the area. Fortunately, Beita and its surrounding villages are connected through an internal Palestinian road which makes it easier for Palestinians from nearby villages to access the town even during road closures.
The absence of an emergency centre in the area, along with the lack of specialised medical teams to handle critical injuries, has delayed vital care. This new urgent care centre in Beita is a walk-in clinic that will operate 24/7, addressing injuries and illnesses, and providing diagnostic and medication services. as well as basic surgical procedures. It includes six emergency beds, two intensive care unit beds, and an X-Ray department.
“The centre is expected to face some initial staffing challenges as there is a lack of specialised medical personnel from within the community,” says Dr Diyaa Asaad, Acting Director of the centre. “This could potentially lead to staff shortages during road closures and Israeli invasions of the area.” However, MAP is working with the Palestinian Ministry of Health to appoint more clinical staff from Beita and its surrounding areas to ensure consistent medical coverage.
The establishment of this centre is crucial to ensure access to healthcare in the northern West Bank, and addressing the urgent medical needs in an area facing increasing violence.
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