RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Access to healthcare for children in Palestine
JF BMJ Paediatrics Open
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e000115
DO 10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000115
VO 1
IS 1
A1 Tony Waterston
A1 Dina Nasser
YR 2017
UL http://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/1/1/e000115.abstract
AB Currently, 5 million Palestinian refugees live in Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon and around 40% of these are children. Mortality rates for Palestinian children are comparable to neighbouring Arab countries but the speed of reduction has faltered in recent years. Morbidity is greatly affected by the occupation which has increased violence towards children, mental health problems and poor nutrition, particularly in Gaza which is experiencing a health crisis. Access to healthcare for children in Palestine is constrained as a result of the requirement for visas to travel into Jerusalem where specialist hospitals are sited, by difficulties with ambulance transfers, by shortages of equipment in hospitals and by lack of trained staff. Palestinian health workers are developing new initiatives in healthcare and show a high level of resilience, despite the very considerable stress affecting most citizens.