CONSUL GENERAL PRAISES CANCER CARE AT EAST

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000253 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRON OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS; TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON; DHHS FOR NIH AND NCI; PLEASE PASS USAID FOR BORODIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM EAID EFIN PREL KWBG IS SUBJECT: CONSUL GENERAL PRAISES CANCER CARE AT EAST JERUSALEM HOSPITAL REF: 2006 JERUSALEM 1852 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: THE CONSUL GENERAL VISITED AUGUSTA VICTORIA HOSPITAL (AVH) IN EAST JERUSALEM JANUARY 31 TO COMMEMORATE THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MIDDLE EAST CANCER CONSORTIUM (MECC). AVH IS THE ONLY PALESTINIAN HEALTH CARE FACILITY THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH A RADIOTHERAPY MACHINE, AND MECC IS FUNDING TRAINING FOR SEVERAL OF ITS ONCOLOGY AND RADIOTHERAPY SPECIALISTS. THE AVH DIRECTOR CONFIRMED THAT THE GOI PAID USD 7.5 MILLION IN PA CLEARANCE REVENUE TO AVH IN JANUARY FOR PA PAYMENT ARREARS TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONSUL GENERAL'S VISIT AND REMARKS RECEIVED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL PRESS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) THE CONSUL GENERAL SPOKE TO AN AUDIENCE OF HEALTH CARE SPECIALISTS AND MEMBERS OF THE PRESS GATHERED AT EAST JERUSALEM'S AVH IN COMMEMORATION OF MECC'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY. (BACKGROUND: UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE USG, MECC WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996 THROUGH AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MINISTRIES OF HEALTH OF THE PA, ISRAEL, JORDAN, EGYPT AND CYPRUS, WITH TURKEY JOINING IN 2004. THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (NCI) HAS SUPPORTED MECC WITH USD 350,000 ANNUALLY. WITH MECC'S ASSISTANCE, MEMBER COUNTRIES MAINTAIN DATABASES THAT TRACK ALL REPORTED EPISODES OF CANCER IN EACH MEMBER COUNTRY. MECC ALSO FUNDS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN CANCER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION AND PALLIATIVE CARE. END BACKGROUND.) THE CONSUL GENERAL REITERATED US SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND FACILITIES, AND ENCOURAGED AVH TO SHARE ITS EXPERTISE WITH OTHER PALESTINIAN HOSPITALS. ¶3. (SBU) AVH HAS THE ONLY RADIOTHERAPY MACHINE CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL FOR PALESTINIAN CANCER PATIENTS AT A PALESTINIAN-OPERATED FACILITY. MECC FUNDED THE TRAINING OF FIVE MEMBERS OF AVH'S ONCOLOGY AND RADIOTHERAPY UNITS. (NOTE: THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT DONATED IN 2003 THE AVH MACHINE AND AN IDENTICAL MACHINE FOR DAR AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL IN GAZA CITY. DAR AL-SHIFA DOES NOT HAVE A TRAINED PHYSICIST AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO OPERATE THE MACHINE, SO IT REMAINS IN ITS PACKAGING. END NOTE.) AVH DIRECTOR TAWFIQ NASSER EXPRESSED THE HOSPITAL'S GRATITUDE FOR MECC ASSISTANCE AND FOR USG ASSISTANCE TO THE DIALYSIS UNIT. (NOTE: USAID PROVIDED THE HOSPITAL WITH USD 136,500 IN DIALYSIS SUPPLIES AND MEDICINE DURING 2006. END NOTE.) NASSER STATED THAT AVH'S RADIOTHERAPY UNIT RUNS ONLY ONE EIGHT-HOUR SHIFT USING THE MACHINE, AS MORE SHIFTS ARE NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO A LACK OF PALESTINIAN RADIOTHERAPY SPECIALISTS. HE ALSO SAID THAT AVH IS IN NEED OF AN ADDITIONAL RADIOTHERAPY MACHINE, AS A BREAKDOWN OF THE CURRENT MACHINE FULLY HALTS RADIATION TREATMENTS. ¶4. (SBU) NASSER CONFIRMED TO THE CONSUL GENERAL THE JANUARY RECEIPT FROM THE GOI OF USD 7.5 MILLION IN PA CLEARANCE REVENUE FOR PARTIAL PAYMENT OF PA ARREARS TO AVH. HE SAID THE HOSPITAL HAD BEEN OPERATING AT A DEFICIT OF USD 2.7 MILLION WHICH THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION HAS COVERED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE SERVING PATIENTS (SEE REFTEL). ¶5. (SBU) THE CONSUL GENERAL'S VISIT AND SPEECH AT AVH RECEIVED THOROUGH COVERAGE IN ARABIC LANGUAGE NEWS DAILIES AL-QUDS, AL-AYYAM, AND AL-HAYAT AL-JADIDA. ALL REPORTS QUOTED HIS REMARKS PRAISING THE WORK OF THE HOSPITAL AND NOTING USG INTENTIONS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PALESTINIAN HEALTH CARE. WALLES