$10 million.. Grants from the World Bank to the Palestinians
A grant from the World Bank to improve the efficiency of the Palestinian health sector.
Shrouq
Today, the World Bank announced a $10 million grant to support the Palestinian Ministry of Health in its efforts to improve the quality, efficiency and resilience of public health service delivery.
“Although government spending on health constitutes 4% of GDP, exceeding the level of many peer countries, the Palestinian health care system finds it difficult to provide the necessary care to all citizens,” said Stefan Imelad, Director and Resident Representative of the World Bank in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
He added that the new project, which is funded by the World Bank, aims to help ensure the continuity of health care services, expand their coverage, and build their resilience.
He explained that the continuous restrictions on freedom of movement and transit, the continued pressure on public finances, and the continuous escalation have weakened the health system and its ability to provide high-quality health care services.
The project will give priority to:
1- Primary health care
2- Strengthening hospitals in order to increase access to services and their efficiency,
3- Contributing to reducing the financial burden of referrals
4- Ensuring that the population receives treatment in a timely manner.
5- Provide prevention and treatment of priority noncommunicable diseases, particularly hypertension, diabetes and cancer, at the primary care level in areas with low levels of access to services
6- Supporting the public hospital system by providing the necessary medical equipment for treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and health care for mothers and newborns.
7- Establishing radiotherapy services in the Gaza Strip, which is one of the main obstacles to treating cancer patients in Gaza.
It can be said that the project is an extension of the World Bank's long-term operational and technical support to strengthen the Palestinian healthcare system.
The financing needs of the Palestinian health sector remain significant, and the World Bank will work in close coordination with development partners to achieve integration and avoid overlapping efforts in order to improve the sustainability of health sector financing by reducing spending on external medical referrals.
