Home / Health / Scottish Charity Builds Hope: 3 New ORs for West Bank Kids
Scottish Charity Builds Hope: 3 New ORs for West Bank Kids
2 Mar
Summary
- Three paediatric operating theatres will be installed in the West Bank.
- Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron will receive the first new theatre.
- The charity aims to raise £320,000 for the first facility.
A Scottish charity is set to install three paediatric operating theatres in the West Bank to significantly boost surgical capacity for children for many years. Kids Operating Room will establish these vital facilities in existing hospitals in Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jericho.
Medics in the Palestinian territory have highlighted that current hospital infrastructure is struggling to cope with a growing need for paediatric surgery. The charity, which assembles medical equipment at its hub in Dundee, recently completed a similar project in Ukraine.
The first theatre will be located at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron, and the charity is launching an appeal to raise £320,000 to help fund this initial facility. Staff have already visited the site to assess its operational needs.
David Cunningham, chief executive of Kids Operating Room, stated that safe surgery is a permanent requirement for a functioning health system. He emphasized that these operating rooms are built to international clinical standards, designed to serve communities for decades and provide children with safe surgical care close to home.
Dr Yousef Takrouri, general director of Al-Ahli Hospital, confirmed that the demand for children's surgery has outgrown their capacity, leading to delays for many children. He expressed that this project will provide the necessary infrastructure to care for children properly, both now and in the future.
