Big Heart Foundation supports Burns Unit in Palestine

SHARJAH, 19th July, 2016 (WAM) -- Patients in Palestine who have suffered burns will be able to avail the highest standards of care for their injuries following an initiative from The Big Heart Foundation, TBHF. The group, a global humanitarian charity dedicated to helping refugees and people in need worldwide, has partnered with the Welfare Association, Palestine's largest non-profit organisation, to establish and develop a dedicated burns unit at Alia government Hospital in Hebron.

Under the terms of the agreement, TBHF will help fund the specialised facility at the hospital, which is being set up to provide advanced medical services for burn injury patients in the Southern West Bank region in Palestine. TBHF's involvement sees it financing almost one third of the project's total requirement of US$983,600.

"Burn injuries are among the most devastating of all injuries and the fourth most common type of trauma worldwide, following traffic accidents, falls, and interpersonal violence. Research has shown that approximately 90 percent of burns occur in low to middle income countries, countries that often lack the necessary facilities to treat such injuries," said Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of 'Salam Ya Seghar,' an initiative within TBHF.

"Hebron is one such area where there is a pressing need for a dedicated burns unit to provide the specialist treatment that this form of injury requires. In view of this, TBHF is honoured to be able to partner with the Welfare Association to help establish a specialised burns unit for patients at the Alia Government Hospital in Hebron," she added.

TBHF's funding of the Alia Government Hospital's burns unit will take place over six months and will play an important part in setting it up and establishing its services. It will include the provision of electronic and other infrastructure that facilitate the unit's operations and the purchase and installation of furniture and medical equipment, including special paediatric devices for use in childcare. It will also enable the development and capacity building of medical staff and service providers, as well as contribute to the supply of pharmaceuticals and medical consumables.

Since its inception, TBHF has succeeded in meeting the needs of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refuges. It has provided life-saving medical services to over 365,000 Syrian displaced persons and given more than 400,000 others food and financial aid. In February, 2016, the foundation pledged to donate $350,000 towards two projects run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, to help Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Iraq survive tough winter conditions.

Through its humanitarian assistance, TBHF has contributed to changing the lives of thousands of refugees worldwide, due to its nature and scope of work. The foundation has reached out to Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries and Rohingya Muslims in Indonesia, as well as Palestinian refugees in sisterly Arab countries. It has worked to enable refugees to live a humanitarian and dignified life by providing a package of integrated services and aid that includes healthcare and education. It also provides financial aid to enable displaced people to meet their urgent needs and cover their essential costs of living, such as rent, food, fuel and clothing.

In June 2015, H.H. Sheikh Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, launched TBHF to coincide with World Refugee Day. It followed the decision issued by Her Highness to transform what was then The Big Heart Campaign into a global humanitarian foundation. The move was aimed at re-doubling efforts to help refugees and people in need worldwide, with the new foundation adding significantly to the UAE's rich portfolio and long record of humanitarian initiatives.