February 11, 2008

By Dr. Jacques Keutgen, Director General
Holy Family Hospital

2007 was a milestone year for Holy Family Hospital and for the people in Palestine especially in the Bethlehem district. After more than one year of construction, sponsored by USAID/WBG, the U.S. Foundation of Holy Family Hospital and the Belgian Government, the departments of Neonatology and Obstetrics & Gynecology have moved to the first floor of the new building.

The Neonatology department was enlarged from a ten bed unit to an eighteen bed unit in response to the rapid growth of occupancy from 66% in 2003 to 107% in 2006. This department has become the referral center in the Bethlehem district and beyond for all infants who need intensive care. This comprehensive neo-natal intensive care unit treats premature infants and those with other health complications - saving lives and building healthier futures for families.

In the Obstetrics department we also faced a dramatic increase in the number of deliveries, especially high risk cases, which led us to build seven new modern delivery rooms and a two-bed intensive care unit for the mothers. Holy Family Hospital is receiving almost all the premature deliveries in the Bethlehem district. Last year out of 3,226 deliveries there were 79 twins, 4 triplets and 2 quadruplet's deliveries and 51 premature babies with a weight below 1500 grs (three pounds and under). The risk of a death due to pregnancy should not be different in Palestine than in the Western WorldÉ.this is what Holy Family Hospital strives for and so far has done so successfully.

In October 2007, on the occasion of the international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta to the Holy Land, the blessing of our new building was given by His Eminence Pio Cardinal Laghi, in the presence of the Sovereign Council of the Order of Malta, the members of the International Board of Trustees and members of the hospital staff. The benediction was followed by the visit of all pilgrims on the international pilgrimage so that they could see and feel the importance of this international project which carries out the one-thousand old history of the Order of Malta. Holy Family Hospital constitutes on one hand a modern, well equipped hospital open to everybody without distinction of origin or religion and on the other hand constitutes a haven of peace and concord, solidarity and coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

It is important to keep in mind that Holy Family Hospital takes its role on the social and medical level to heart especially for the poor and destitute expectant mothers by giving them the best medical care possible. These families are paying only what they can afford. Love of our neighbor is the basis of our work. ÒThe poorest deserve the bestÓ is one of our themes. We have been able to acquire the most modern equipment for our hospital through generous donations. Unfortunately, the operating costs remain partially uncovered because there is no social security and no health insurance in Palestine. Since we accept each tiny premature baby or mother in distress, unlike the other hospitals, we are more than ever dependent on our donors.

Our success depends solely on having well trained nurses and doctors and the right motivation, which for us as Christians, is our deep faith in God and our true belief that we have been called upon by God to undertake what we are doing. Your support is one of the most effective ways of maintaining a Christian presence in the Holy Land.