Pediatrics in Palestine
Pediatrics is a branch of medicine dedicated to caring for children and the diseases that affect them. Pediatricians are trained medical doctors who specialize in caring for the physical, mental, and behavioral needs of children from the time they are born until they become an adult at age 18. This includes things like performing physical exams, caring for injuries, diseases, and other health issues, giving immunizations, and more.
Pediatric care is important everywhere since children are often more susceptible to diseases and other health issues than adults, and face more severe consequences if those issues are not addressed. However, pediatric care is particularly important in areas where it is not widely available. One of these areas is Palestine.
Due to the relationship and ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel, millions of Palestinians live with no reliable access to healthcare since Israel controls the borders of territories like Gaza. This makes it difficult to get medical supplies into these areas, and there are often not enough trained medical professionals to provide reliable care for everyone.
This is especially detrimental to Palestinian children who have essentially grown up in a warzone, with conflict frequently breaking out between the two sides. Many times, children are caught in the middle, requiring emergency and urgent care pediatrics in order to survive. Many times, there are no accessible services for them.
These living conditions also mean that Palestinians don’t always have reliable access to water and food, which can lead to health problems like malnutrition, diseases from contaminated water, and more. Since there is limited access to healthcare services, many Palestinian parents resort to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which can have side effects, especially when combined with traditional medicine.
Some of the most important pediatric services for the children of Palestine include general surgery, cardiology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics, and more. Expanding these services can help save the lives of Palestinian children and improve the overall quality of life they experience.
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) continues to provide humanitarian aid to children and their families through our hospitals, pediatric medical programs, health initiatives, hospital infrastructure projects, orphan and refugee sponsorships, and medical missions. These efforts help to ensure that children in need get the vital assistance they require.
PCRF has a committee of volunteer pediatricians on our Medical Advisory Board who are dedicated to building up services through training, programs, and guiding PCRF to improve the quality of pediatric care in Palestine.
PCRF is not a political or religious organization. Our mission is to provide medical and humanitarian relief collectively and individually to Arab children throughout the Middle East, regardless of their nationality, politics, or religion. We rely on charitable giving to provide medical treatment, surgeries, safety, shelter, and support to children and their families in Palestine and the Levant. Find out how you can get involved and help make a difference in children’s lives today!