Finland is making a contribution of €2 million to the Palestinian Authority to support the payment of medical referrals to East Jerusalem Hospitals.
This contribution is channeled through the EU Program of Direct Financial Support to the Palestinian Authority ‘PEGASE mechanism’.
This support will help the Palestinian Authority in meeting its obligations towards East Jerusalem hospitals against the backdrop of the PA’s ongoing dramatic fiscal crisis and the socio-economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, said a statement issued by the Office of the European Union Representative.
It will also help the East Jerusalem Hospitals to maintain critical medical services to Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
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.
These hospitals are an integral part of the Palestinian healthcare system providing specialized services that cannot be found elsewhere in the West Bank and in Gaza.
“The East Jerusalem hospitals are among the few Palestinian institutions still working in the city and provide essential quality health care services that are not available elsewhere in Palestine.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic and its unprecedented implications for the well-being of the Palestinian population, they have played a crucial role as an integral part of the Palestinian health sector,’’ said European Union Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff.
“The European Union and its Member States support these hospitals to ensure that they continue to serve Palestinian patients from all over the occupied Palestinian territory. By this, we also help preserve the Palestinian identity of East Jerusalem that is challenged each day by Israel’s ongoing occupation practices,’’ he added.
“Finland remains committed to supporting the high-quality health care for Palestinians from East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. Our direct financial support through PEGASE creates stability and alleviates life of Palestinian families in need of specialized health services”, said Ambassador Päivi Peltokoski, Representative of Finland.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency