Gaza

A brief word from Mr. John Talbot

It is the mission of St. John Eye Hospital to provide eye care to all those who need it, regardless of their ability to pay.  If ever there was a population that met this criterion, it is the people of the Gaza Strip.

Opened in the 1990s, our Hospital in Gaza City has been the focus of a small but important effort to bring care to isolated and needy people.  From the outset, the Hospital, providing both outpatient and daycase surgical care, has been beset with problems.  The doctors and nurses work under very difficult circumstances, always the victims of a changing, and generally deteriorating, political environment.

I visited Gaza for the first time in July 2008.  It was shocking to see the difficulties getting in and out of the territory.  For me, as an expatriate, it was hard enough getting a permit to enter through the Erez checkpoint, let alone go through the actual process of admission.  The return journey was difficult too, with long delays and the ever present anxiety that the checkpoint would be closed before the bureaucracy had been completed.   My predecessor, Tony Chignell, and CEO, Rod Bull, had to suffer a rocket attack on the Erez checkpoint on leaving the enclave in early 2008.

For Gazans leaving the Strip, this is a much harder process.  And this applies to patients, often with severe clinical problems, who also have their health to worry them at the same time.   Men frequently cannot leave at all, whatever their medical problems.  It is almost impossible for our staff to leave the area and visit our Hospital in Jerusalem, with serious consequences for their continuing professional development.

The environment in Gaza City is challenging.  The blockade of the Gaza Strip has resulted in great deprivation.  All building materials have been prevented from entering, along with other necessities of life including some food and fuel.  It is well known that there are tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, allowing the entry of some of these proscribed materials, although at great cost. 

During the winter of 2008/9 a devastating conflict hit Gaza, in response to the rocket attacks perpetrated on Southern Israel.  Much damage was done, mostly to infrastructure associated with Hamas, the ruling political party.  There was a considerable loss of life but, perhaps most importantly damage too to the psychology of the 1.5 million inhabitants of the Strip, and notably the children.

On revisiting in 2009, because of the siege conditions that prevail, it was clear that our Clinic has fallen below the standards we expect in St. John.  We are unable to import building materials, let alone paint and new furniture.

It is the view of the CEO and the Board that the best solution to the problems of the present building would be to move to another site.  We have, to date, been thwarted by the unique legal problems that prevail in Gaza.  Nevertheless, the search continues and it can be imagined that this is not easy, given the difficulty of obtaining permits to enter the area.  As soon as there is good news about property, we will start a major fundraising programme to raise the money.

We are determined to continue our work in Gaza, despite the difficulties.  We owe a great debt to the courageous staff who extend the mission of St. John to one of the most deprivedand beleaguered populations in the world.

John Talbot

Chairman and Hospitaller