The Hospital Built by TİKA Reduces the Burden of COVID19 in Gaza

Built by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the Gaza Strip, the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital greatly reduces the burden on the health sector, which has been going through difficult times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The spread of the disease increased the burden on the health sector in Gaza, which had already been going through difficult times due to the blockade. While hospitals are nearing their capacity in Gaza, the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital, built by TİKA, plays a major role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 patients have been treated in the hospital for a year

The Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital was transferred to Palestinian authorities on March 30, 2020 upon the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in order to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. More than 3,500 COVID-19 patients have been treated in the hospital since then. Nearly 100 COVID-19 patients, including 9 in the ICU, are being treated in the hospital, which was equipped with the state-of-the-art devices.

“This hospital reduced the burden of the COVID-19 crisis on the people of Gaza.”

In his statement, Marwan al-Hams, Chief Physician of the Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital, pointed out the major role that the hospital played in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Gaza. Noting that the hospital had been reserved for COVID-19 patients since April 2020, Hams said, “I would like to thank my brothers and sisters in Turkey for building this fully-equipped hospital, which allows us to treat COVID-19 patients. This hospital reduced the burden of the COVID-19 crisis on the people of Gaza. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the government and people of Turkey once again.”

Gaza needs support

Noting that the situation in Gaza was critical due to the rapid spread of the disease, Hams said, “I would like to call on our brothers and sisters in Turkey to support us. We are going through the worst times in our history due to the COVID-19 crisis and the blockade imposed on us. We need more supplies and equipment in the hospital due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.”

The Palestine-Turkey Friendship Hospital, which has a total indoor area of 33,400 sq. meters, consists of 8 interconnected blocks, 4 operating rooms, intensive care units, laboratories, and 180 rooms. It is the largest and most modern hospital not only in Gaza, but also in Palestine.