UPA supports primary care clinics that deliver quality health services to vulnerable Palestinians communities in the Gaza Strip, Jordan and Lebanon, at minimal or no cost. Priority is given to the most underserved refugee camps and remote communities, where services are lacking or even absent. Emphasis is placed on maternal and child health care and health education.
Gaza
After years of siege and ongoing electricity shortages, Gaza’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. Primary care clinics are struggling to cope and many clinics, particularly those run by the government, are reducing their hours of operation and discontinuing important diagnostic services. UNRWA primary care clinics are also facing severe funding cuts, making UPA supported clinics all the more vital.
Jordan
Unlike refugees from the West Bank, Palestinian refugees who fled to Jordan from Gaza were not granted Jordanian citizenship. As a result, these 140,000 individuals have limited or no access to government services. Only 17% of Palestinians, originally from Gaza, who reside today in refugee camps in Jordan have health insurance. This is why UPA support of quality and affordable primary care is all the more critical.
Lebanon
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are almost entirely dependent on UNRWA for healthcare, with 94% accessing UNRWA hospitalization services. Only 5.5% of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have access to private health insurance. Recent US government cuts to UNRWA funding will place additional strain on UNRWA’s limited healthcare resources, making UPA support of alternatives more vital than ever.