Project updates from across the globe: right now we are actively working on projects based in Palestine, Turkiye, Syria, Rwanda and Malawi, supporting health system strengthening, emergency response and care, clinic rebuilds, improved access to quality healthcare, medical staff training, maternal care, and much more.
Emergency Response: Gaza
Currently, Doctors Worldwide have a team of 20 local Palestinian staff members working on the ground to procure and distribute locally sourced supplies alongside delivering critical medical support at one of the last functioning hospitals in South Gaza, Kuwaiti Hospital, as well as outreach clinics where the displaced have congregated. Some of our medical and food supplies have also crossed the Rafah border.
An overview of the impacts so far (OCHA):
- 14,800 killed – 69% being women and children
- 36,000+ injured
- 46,000+ housing units fully destroyed
- 1.7M have been displaced
- Only 2/24 hospitals in the Gaza Strip and North Gaza are operational
- 51% educational facilities have been damaged
Currently, we have a team of 20 local Palestinian staff members working on the ground to procure and distribute locally sourced supplies alongside delivering critical medical support at one of the last functioning hospitals in South Gaza, Kuwaiti Hospital.
Since Oct 7, we have:
- Reached a total of 90,000+ people in need through all emergency response activities.
- Provided bread and water to 10,000+ people so far by sourcing local supplies.
- Provided food packs and rations to 18,000+ people.
- Delivered 13,837 emergency and medical materials to Şhifa Hospital supporting approximately 6,500-7,000 patients.
- Conducted 10,208 medical sessions and examinations with our team at Şhifa Hospital, Indonesia Hospital & surrounding areas (who are now providing services at Kuwaiti Hospital).
- Organised 250 psychosocial activities for children
- Started mobile clinic services at local schools and areas where IDPs have gathered.
- Aid truck sent through the Rafah border with 1,500 food packs and 510 medical kits benefited 13,050 people.
- Provided salary support to 135 healthcare workers at Kuwaiti Hospital.
Emergency Response: Turkiye/Syria
Since the devastating earthquakes on Monday 6th February 2023, Doctors Worldwide’s team in Türkiye and Syria have been providing emergency relief and medical aid since day one. To date we have served over 200,000 people, as we continue to provide medical aid to hundreds every single day.
So far, in Turkiye:
- 205,872 people received medical care & relief
- 55,673 medical examinations undertaken
- 33 surgeries conducted
- 10 babies delivered
- 56,514 free medications provided
- 94,047 people received psychosocial support
In Syria:
- 6,119 medical care services/treatment provided
- 8,362 medications given
- 9,466 medical examinations undertaken
In addition, we are providing a psychologist and case worker to offer much needed psycho-social support for children and adults that is currently missing in the Jindires IDP camp in North Syria, as well as working to provide a safe space for indoor and outdoor play areas.
Projects: Malawi
Since 2016, we have been actively working on healthcare and capacity-building projects in the rural areas of Malawi, and in 2020 established a partnership with a local organisation to oversee the management of 18 healthcare facilities, including clinic rehabilitation, improving the quality of care provided, and delivering essential healthcare and health management training.
In 2021, a further key area in need of support was identified: the Balaka District. Here, in this remote location, numerous communities were found to be without access to essential healthcare facilities, and were losing their lives due to crocodile attacks whilst attempting to cross the river separating them from the nearest healthcare facility.
Since then, we have been consulting and working with the local community to identify a piece of land to use, as well as begin planning and construction for this new healthcare facility which aims to cover OPD (outpatients) and maternal health, and has an estimated impact of benefiting 50,000 people in the surrounding area once built.
Projects: Rwanda
Our Palliative Care Programme focuses on taking a holistic approach to end-of-life care, and not only covers medical care, but also transport to and from hospital appointments, psychosocial support, food support as well as education support (school fees and materials e.g. uniforms and textbooks) for children of patients. Over the autumn period:
- 50+ children provided with education support
- 85+ patients provided with transport to hospital appointments
- Community-based health insurance used to cover costs for patients to receive specialised services such as MRI and CT scans
- 79+ patients received psychosocial and spiritual support (mainly through home-based visits)
- 16 families received monthly food support, including 11 patients receiving special diet food packs
- 4 families supported with rental costs
In addition, our Medical Debt Relief Project continues to support the poorest hospital patients unable to pay medical bills, often after emergency care. Over the autumn period,
- 39 patients bills covered
- 24 patients supported with social needs e.g. milk for babies and transport to hospital appointments etc
