01.02.2019
Dioceses and Cathedral Move to Support Holy Land Hospitals
This week a total of €16,000 is being donated to two hospital appeals in our partner Diocese of Jerusalem.
The United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough and the Dublin & Glendalough Council for Mission has agreed to donate €15,000 to Al Ahli Hospital’s appeal following the collapse of the outpatients’ department in the Gaza hospital.
Meanwhile, St Patrick’s Cathedral, through its Charitable Giving Fund, is making €1,000 available to St Luke’s Hospital, Nablus, towards the purchase and equipping of a new ambulance which will ensure that the hospital can continue to operate.
Archbishop Michael Jackson thanked St Patrick’s Cathedral for responding to the international appeal for St Luke’s Hospital and said he was confident that their contribution, along with that from the United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough, would make a difference to the ministry of our partners in the Diocese of Jerusalem. In commending both initiatives Archbishop Jackson welcomed this practical outworking of the link between both dioceses which has been brought about by The Epiphany Agreement signed in January 2016.
“This is a coming together of St Patrick’s Cathedral, our diocesan link, the Council for Mission and the Diocese of Jerusalem,” the Archbishop stated. “Healthcare is one of the main ways in which the Diocese of Jerusalem carries out its ministry to all people in the Land of the Holy One. Through hospitals and clinics, members of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem treat professionally all who seek their help, no matter what their faith or social background, in what is a truly humbling Christian witness. Through these donations we play our part in ensuring this vital ministry can continue.”
The Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd William Morton, saw the appeal for St Luke’s Hospital and moved to make money available from the Cathedral’s Charitable Giving Fund which was in the process of being allocated.
“We were delighted to be able to assist in this worthy cause to enable St Luke’s Hospital to continue its life saving work in the Palestinian community between Jerusalem and Nazareth,” the Dean commented. “We were aware of the link between Dublin & Glendalough and the Diocese of Jerusalem and when we saw that the hospital in Nablus was under threat of closure because of the need of a new ambulance we saw an opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.”
GAZA OUTPATIENTS’ DEPARTMENT COLLAPSE
Just before Christmas Archbishop Suheil Dawani in our partner Diocese of Jerusalem launched an urgent appeal for funds when the outpatients’ department at Al Ahli Hospital collapsed into the basement. Nobody was injured when the 120 year old building collapsed due to environmental stress. Outpatients have continued to access treatment in temporary facilities but these are causing overcrowding and delays at the hospital.
The hospital is run by the Diocese of Jerusalem and has 80 beds of which 50 are used. It offers free healthcare to all the people of Gaza City with about 3,500 outpatients seen each month and 400 patients admitted.
The hospital’s consultant engineer and a construction team have assessed the damage and made recommendations for reconstruction. “Their findings provided useful insights about the deficiencies of the bar joists in the clinic that were manufactured between 1900 and the late 1950s, and still being used well after 1960”, the diocese said. “These were the chief culprits behind the catastrophic failure of the building – but so were the infrequent renovations, the latest occurring in 1993.” It is estimated that the reconstruction of the clinic will cost $150,000 USD.
People wishing to respond to the appeal can do so directly to the Diocese of Jerusalem at http://www.j-diocese.org
Dublin & Glendalough previously supported Al Ahli Hospital in raising funds for the renovation of the on call staff facilities and solar panels which help ensure electricity supply, which in Gaza continues to be regularly interrupted.
NABLUS AMBULANCE APPEAL
St Luke’s Hospital in Nablus is also run by the Diocese of Jerusalem. An international fundraising campaign is under way to buy an ambulance to secure the future of the hospital. Its accreditation was at risk under rules from the Palestinian Ministry of Health which require hospitals to have a well equipped, safe and operational ambulance.
St Luke’s ambulance was 15 years old and since 2003 has carried thousands of patients from Nablus and the surrounding areas. It was used in 2,100 emergencies in 2017 alone. But its increasing unreliability meant that 2,000 calls had to be diverted to other hospitals.
In England, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Anglican Communion Fund began a crowd funding campaign and in the United States, the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem raised funds.
Donations can be made to the Friends of the Anglican Communion Fund at
https://mydonate.bt.com/events/nablusambulanceappeal
