In a significant humanitarian step, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), inaugurated the obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza. This inauguration follows the completion of comprehensive renovation and rehabilitation work on the department, which had suffered extensive damage during previous humanitarian crises, forcing it to cease providing its vital services for an extended period.
A humanitarian background and a leading Saudi role
This initiative comes within the framework of the ongoing humanitarian efforts provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Palestinian people. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, established in 2015, is the Kingdom's primary humanitarian arm, implementing relief projects in dozens of countries worldwide. Historically, the Kingdom has provided substantial support to the Palestinian health sector, which faces immense challenges due to complex political and economic conditions. These conditions have led to a severe shortage of medical resources and healthcare infrastructure, making such projects a lifeline for the population.
Project importance and expected impact
The rehabilitation of the maternity ward at Al-Awda Hospital is of paramount importance locally, as it will provide safe healthcare services to thousands of pregnant women and newborns in a region severely lacking such services. The project is expected to directly contribute to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, providing a safe and healthy environment for childbirth, and delivering essential prenatal and postnatal care. Regionally and internationally, this project reflects the depth of the partnership between Saudi humanitarian institutions and international organizations such as the United Nations, enhancing the effectiveness of responses to humanitarian crises and highlighting the Kingdom's pivotal role in supporting health stability in affected areas.
Project details and objectives
The rehabilitation of the clinic is part of a broader project aimed at “ensuring access to and provision of services and promoting maternal and newborn health” among the affected population in the Gaza Strip. The support is not limited to Al-Awda Hospital alone; the project targets the renovation and support of obstetrics and gynecology departments in three major hospitals in the Strip: Friends of the Patient Hospital, Al-Khair Hospital, and Al-Awda Hospital. The project aims to improve the quality of reproductive health services and ensure that pregnant and lactating women have access to safe and comprehensive healthcare.
International praise and satisfaction among beneficiaries
For his part, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Gaza Strip expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, for this vital support, which contributed to the reactivation of a key medical department. He emphasized that this intervention will have a direct impact on improving the health of mothers and newborns. The women benefiting from the clinic's services also expressed their appreciation for this humanitarian intervention, conveying their satisfaction with the resumption of obstetrics and gynecology services at the hospital, as it provides safe healthcare and reduces the risks they faced during the service disruptions of the past period.
