This April 3rd letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and USAID Administrator Ambassador Mark Green, signed by the ELCA, LWF, and numerous other organizations, encourages the Administration to release funding for the West Bank and Gaza (including the funding for AVH and the East Jerusalem hospitals) without delay and to commit additional resources to address the spread of COVID-19 in the West Bank and Gaza.
Describing the situation in Gaza and the West Bank: “Without additional resources to alleviate the outbreak and its economic costs, the severely strained health systems in the West Bank and Gaza will soon be pushed beyond the breaking point. In Gaza in particular, the healthcare system is seriously under-resourced due to the shortage of essential drugs and medical and protective equipment. The World Health Organization, for example, has indicated that there are only 15 ventilators currently available for use in Gaza. In the West Bank, there are fewer than 20 intensive care specialists, and as cases continue to rise, the needs will soon outpace the capacity of the public health infrastructure.”
Here is the full text of the April 3 letter signed by the ELCA and LWF regarding funding for West Bank and Gaza
