PALESTINIAN HOSPITALS IN NEED OF DIALYSIS MEDICINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001915 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS/GREENE/WAECHTER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO; STATE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN; TREASURY FOR ADKINS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2016 TAGS: PHUM EAID KWBG KPAL SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN HOSPITALS IN NEED OF DIALYSIS MEDICINE AND EQUIPMENT Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Government hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza have less than a two-week supply of dialysis products to meet the needs of 292 patients in Gaza and 400 in the West Bank, according to CARE International staff. In some cases, treatments have been reduced from three treatments per week to two in order to conserve resources. Government hospitals are the only provider of dialysis treatment for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. ConGen and USAID staff are working with CARE to accelerate delivery of dialysis products and spare parts for 14 broken dialysis machines. End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) CARE staff report that only four hospitals in Gaza provide dialysis treatment for 292 patients: Dar al-Shifa in Gaza City, and three others in Khan Yunis, Rafah, and Deir el-Balah. The largest hospital in Gaza, Dar al-Shifa Hospital provides 1300 monthly sessions of dialysis for 160 patients. They have 26 dialysis machines of which three are damaged and need repair. The hospital in Khan Yunis provides 500 monthly sessions for 57 patients. They have 9 dialysis machines; one is broken and another is obsolete. In Rafah, the hospital provides 270 monthly sessions for 30 patients. They have seven dialysis machines, of which two are non-operating. In Deir el-Balah, the hospital provides 410 monthly sessions for 45 patients. They have 12 working dialysis machines. ¶4. (SBU) In the West Bank, there are 400 patients requiring regular dialysis treatment, of which 60 are referred to Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem for treatment valued at USD 112,000 per month. (Note: AVH is experiencing an uptick in patient referrals from the PA for dialysis treatment due to the MOH's shortage of drugs in the West Bank. End Note.) The PA runs 8 West Bank hospitals that provide dialysis treatment: Bethlehem (Al Hussein), Hebron (Al-Ahli),Jenin, Jericho, Nablus (Al-Wataniya), Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Tulkarm. Each of these hospitals has an average of 8 dialysis machines for a total of 64 machines in the West Bank, of which 7 are not working. The total monthly average of dialysis sessions is 3,500. According to CARE staff, each hospital has roughly a ten-day supply of dialysis products remaining. ¶5. (SBU) Based on their conversations with Dar al-Shifa officials, CARE staff disputed recent press reports that patients are dying of kidney failure due to drug shortages in Gaza. However, the fact that treatments have been reduced from three dialysis sessions per week per patient to only two underscores the gravity of the situation, they said. Based on their preliminary assessment, CARE officials have indicated that they are ready to procure a one-month supply of dialysis products. CARE is undertaking a survey of spare parts required and is prepared to procure the necessary parts as well. ¶6. (C) Action Request: The Government hospitals have less than a two-week supply of dialysis products remaining and 14 machines that require spare parts in order to meet the needs of the Palestinian dialysis patients. ConGen supports the provision of dialysis products and spare parts by USAID for the government-run hospitals. The supplies would be provided directly to the hospitals and not through the Ministry of Health. ConGen requests Department expeditiously authorize USAID grantee CARE to purchase and deliver dialysis supplies and spare parts using USG funds. End Action Request. WALLES