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LIFE inaugurates two state-of-the-art medical facilities in Palestinian Territories

Life for Relief & Development with the cooperation of American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), has inaugurated two state-of-the-art medical centers within the Palestinian Territories.

The medical centers, built in Jaba village in southwestern Jenin in the West Bank and in Jabaliya, which is in the northern area of Gaza Strip, will provide general and emergency related care in addition to social services that will further contribute to the development of the area. This includes a Primary Health Care Center for therapeutic care, emergency care, laboratory services, health education, safe motherhood programs, school health programs and home-based care. Also an EMS substation has been built to provide an ambulance station and a triage post that will provide first aid training to various community groups.

The Jaba clinic alone will help more than 9,000 individuals from Jaba as well as 15 neighboring villages.

"It is the status quo in the West Bank and Gaza that more than 28,000 people have been injured since (the year) 2000, that thousands more are living in unhealthy conditions and that mal-nutrition runs rampant," LIFE President Dr. Khalil I Jassemm said. "We feel, it our job to lift these people up and at the very least provide them with medical care so that they have a chance to prosper."

LIFE funded the construction of these two health care centers valued at more than $290,000 and the project was implemented by the American Near East Relief Agency. During the inaugurations, the medical centers were turned over to the PRCS for management. PRCS Primary Health Care Department is responsible for 30 health care centers throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"This project is humanity at its best," Vicki Robb, LIFE's International Programs Director said. "It could not have been a success without the courage and dedication of ANERA and PRCS."

Mr. Muthanna Al-Hanooti, LIFE's Director of Public Relations, cut the ribbon at both sites and assured the audience of LIFE's continuing efforts to expand the human development projects in the Palestinian territories.

Both inaugurations were attended by Mr. Iyad Suleiman, LIFE's Palestinian Territories Representitive; Dr. Hussein Al-A'raj, Deputy Minister of Local Government at the Palestinian National Authority; Khalil Salam, Mayor of Jaba; Dr. Thomas Neu, ANERA's Middle East Executive Director; Yunus Alkhatib, PRCS President; Mr. Jubran Said, ANERA project Manager; Also in attendance were local government leaders, PRCS representatives and other NGO representatives.