(Rivista Internazionale - December 1997: The Maternity Hospital of the Holy Family in Bethlehem - 1/3)

Health

The Maternity Hospital of the Holy Family in Bethlehem

Albrecht Boeselager
Hospitaller

Madrid. H.E. the Hospitaller, Albrecht von Boeselager (centre), during the meeting of the president of national associations held from 25 to 27 April. From left, Count Winfried Henckel von Donnersmark, Councillor of the German Association, Marqués de Campo Real, President of the Spanish Association and Prince Johannes de Lowenstein, at the time President of the German Association.

The General Director of the Maternity Hospital of the Holy Family in Bethlehem, John McCarthy of the Federal Association of the SMOM, reckons this year with over 2,700 births and over 15,000 consultations. He and the hospital staff are very proud of this increase once more, which it was possible to achive in spite of the long passage closure to Israel this summer.
Perhaps it is feasible to reach the figure of 3,000 births in 1998. Invariably interested visitors to the hospital aas well as visiting experts are positively impressed by the appearance and atmosphere of the hospital which is grouped in a square around a big coutyard with the hospital's chapel. In spite of manifold difficulties it was possible to build up - owing to international efforts of the whole Order - one of the most important and symbolic Order's works in walking distance to the church in the place where Christ was born.
Also in future great especially financial efforts will be necessary to guarantee the hospital's long-term existence and to expand it according to the great needs of the region. In 1990 the hospital which belongs to the Compagnie des Filles de la Charitè was opened again by the Order of Malta after a complete renovation. Some years before that the house had been closed by the sisters.
Under the management of the French Association it had been expanded to a modern maternity hospital with 28 beds. But very soon it became obvious that the political and economic situation in Bethlehem and the whole West Bank would require a long-term subvention of the hospital as the patients and their families usually were not in a position to pay a cost covering contribution for the treatment and a public health insurance does not exist in the districts of Palestine administered by Israel. Also a very tight and efficient management, which understood to keep the hospital's running costs significantly under those of comparable institutions of the region, could not change this situation all the more so as the objective should not be given up to keep the door open also for the especially under-privileged women from the Palestinian refugee camps and from the poorer sections of the population.

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