Health
Fast, life-saving aid when and where it's needed most...
Since UPA was established in 1978, we have addressed the primary challenges facing the Palestinian health care system — a severely underdeveloped health system, operating in the context of chronic poverty and protracted military occupation. Restrictions on infrastructure, resources and access prevent Palestinian medical professionals from adequately serving the needs of those in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinian medical professionals cannot adequately serve these needs, and many families cannot afford basic nutritional necessities. The problem is exacerbated in times of increased conflict. Consequently, between 10% and 30% of Palestinian children suffer a detriment to their cognitive development and physical health from malnutrition.
UPA’s holistic approach to medical relief takes into account the nutritional and social epidemiological needs of these under-served populations. A crucial issue today is access to health care. UPA has made health care available to those in need by funding mobile clinics throughout the West Bank as well as first aid training and first responder training for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank alike.
Over 3,000 patients were treated in 2008 with direct eye care provision, and education about vision health, at just one UPA partner’s mobile clinics. Thirteen women and youth-led teams of first-responders were trained to serve over 200,000 community members in Gaza, at the prescient time leading up to the Israeli invasion in late 2008/early 2009.
UPA simultaneously attempts to improve the quality of health care through its long term development projects. These projects focus on upgrading aging medical equipment, funding hospital expansion, promoting preventive health care, and ensuring a steady supply of basic medicines to field hospitals throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, including $8.5 million worth of medicines to Gaza last year.