Al-Makassed Hospital, the largest Palestinian hospital in occupied East Jerusalem, has closed its doors to all except emergency patients due to its ongoing financial crisis, Arab48.com reported on Monday.
The union of workers at Al-Makassed Hospital said that staff were unable to carry out their duties due to “the continuing financial crisis and not receiving their salaries.”
The Syndicate and Employees of Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem announces the end of the strike after its agreement with the Ministry of Finance to pay part of the hospital’s dues. pic.twitter.com/kXbxN0I1ax
— AlQastal News (@QastalNewsEn) April 26, 2022
The hospital itself added that the Palestinian Authority has not paid staff salaries for several months. It pointed out that there had been an agreement after a previous strike and the PA has backtracked on its pledges.
The hospital’s workers were expected to gather in front of the building on Tuesday morning and then protest in front of the PA ministry of finance.
“Several PA officials pledged to pay the salaries for the hospital on Sunday,” the hospital explained, “but nothing happened.”
📢 The latest delivery from @WHO to Al-Makassed Hospital includes orthopedic supplies that will support complex life-saving & limb-saving surgical operations for the victims of the current escalation.
Supplies provided since last week will cover the medical needs of 10k people. https://t.co/if8SOvm30G pic.twitter.com/5GM3tV6H8v— WHO in occupied Palestinian territory (@WHOoPt) April 24, 2022
A proposal from the PA to secure part of the payments which are outstanding, including salaries, does not meet the daily needs of the hospital, said officials.
Al-Makassed administrators blamed PA Minister of Finance Shouky Bshara for the deteriorating situation. They called upon him to stand up for his responsibilities towards Jerusalem.
The amount owed to the hospital by the PA is said to be $47 million, most of which comes from covering patient referrals from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
