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Bethlehem’s Hospital
 The
Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, Palestine, is a joint project
across the Order of Malta, under the operational responsibilities of
the French Association of the Order. The hospital provides the
population of Bethlehem and its surrounding area with an
indispensable service, offering the only possible place for women of
the region to give birth under good medical conditions. Since 1990
more than 42,000 babies have been born in the hospital. Its primary
objective is to offer high-quality maternity care to all women,
regardless of race, religion, culture or social condition.
American and European specialists have confirmed that the hospital
operates according to an excellent western European standard.
Because of the continuing unstable political and the very tight
economic situation, the need for the hospital services has
increased.
Palestine has no national health care system and therefore the
hospital's operating costs are sustained by the Order of Malta.
Patients are asked to pay what they can afford. The charge for total
antenatal care, accommodation, delivery including all medications is
$60. For those unable to pay, charges are reduced or waived.
The heavy financial burden is borne by the French Association, with
help from the National Associations of Germany, USA, Ireland and
Switzerland and by the European Union. Recently the "Holy Family
Hospital Foundation" - an organisation created by American members
of the Order - has raised funds that have provided an important
contribution to ensure the hospital's continuing operation.
Statistics for the Holy Family
Hospital
The Hospital is run by a highly qualified staff of 140, including:
- 9 specialists, and 8 resident
doctors;
- 76 nurses;
- 7 paramedical staff;
- 40 administration and other
support staff;
- since February 1990, 42,000
deliveries with no mortality;
- the only Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) in Bethlehem;
- The only hospital in Palestine
recognised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists (RCOG), London, for training doctors;
- More than 2,793 deliveries
during the year 2004; 2,946 deliveries in 2006; 3,226 in 2007;
- over 15,000 outpatient
consultations per year.
Total hospital budget for the year 2006: US $2,464,000.
Donations given by the Order of Malta: US $1,295,000.
A brief history.
- In 1882 the Daughters of
Charity bought a large plot of land in Bethlehem where they laid
the cornerstone for a 80-bed hospital.
- By a Firman in 1892, the
Turkish Sultan gave the Sisters of Charity the licence to build
and maintain a hospital in Bethlehem.
- At a later date, the Turkish
Authorities gave the hospital tax exemption within the Mytilene
and Constantinople Agreements signed with the French Government.
- In 1895 the Holy Family
Hospital opened its doors, and grew into a busy general
hospital, providing medical, surgical and maternity facilities
for the people of Bethlehem for almost a century.
- In 1985, the hospital was
forced to close due to political and social factors associated
with the Arab / Israeli conflict.
- That same year, in answer to
the crisis,
the Order of Malta decided to reopen one wing as a 28-bed
maternity unit. It received assistance from the European Union
for its renovation and equipment.
- On 26th February 1990, the
first baby was born in the new facility.
- In 1997, due to increase in
activity, an extension was added to include two extra delivery
rooms, a second operating room, nine extra beds and a neonatal
unit. Again, the European Union generously helped in the funding
the equipment.
- During 2001, the number of
babies taken care of in the neonatal unit was 277, with 1839
deliveries.
- In April 2001 the United
States O'Neil Foundation donated a fully-equipped, mobile clinic
to the hospital. This unit made it possible for doctors to
provide at-home medical and social assistance directly to
patients living in communities living in the distant hills of
the region, where basic services such as running water,
electricity and public clinics are lacking.
- Due to the increase in
activity a larger, much needed outpatient facility was opened in
July 2001 in another wing of the old hospital.
- In 2007, 3,226 babies were
born in the hospital.
- Despite the dramatic
conditions today in Bethlehem, the birth rate remains steady at
around nine per day. From the beginning of 2003, however, this
number has seen an increasingly steady decline due to the
population's overall state of poverty.
- In 2007, thanks to the
donations of the American Congress and of the Belgian
Government, a new Delivery Ward and a larger Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit have been inaugurated.
For any further information please visit
the website:
www.holyfamilyhospital-bethlehem.org
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