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The European Union Heads of Cooperation visited Augusta Victoria Hospital and met with representatives of the East Jerusalem Hospitals.
The group was briefed on the financial difficulties and challenges facing the hospitals, particularly, Augusta Victoria Hospital, due to the accumulation of outstanding health referrals invoices issued by the Palestinian Authority, according to a statement issued by the Office of the European Union Representative.
Representatives of Augusta Victoria hospital explained that the hospital is facing cash flow crisis, which is affecting its ability to deliver cancer treatment and is threatening the life of cancer patients.
Since September 2021, the hospital had to reject more than 400 newly diagnosed cancer patients and almost 580 patients receiving cancer treatment are currently at risk of treatment interruption. In order to avoid this risk, the hospital communicated the need for immediate donor grant support covering partially the accumulated cost of referrals.
Together with European Union Member States, the EU has been supporting the Palestinian Authority since 2012 with regular contributions to the payment of referrals to East Jerusalem Hospitals that have reached over €140 million since then.
“The European Union remains committed to assisting the Palestinian Authority in supporting East Jerusalem hospitals and will continue to provide financial support to help the Palestinian Authority in covering the cost of referrals. This will help maintain the availability and access to essential health care services to the Palestinian population from all over the occupied Palestinian territory,” said the European Union Head of Cooperation Gerhard Krause.
“While we are aware of its complex fiscal crisis, we continue to encourage the Palestinian Authority to provide regular and sufficient amount of advances to the East Jerusalem Hospitals in order to, avoid serious cash flow problems and interruptions in the provision of essential needed medical treatments and services. The East Jerusalem hospitals should meanwhile implement necessary reforms to improve the financial sustainability of the hospitals and to maintain quality health care services,” he said.
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