Many places in the world are experiencing the uncertainty of COVID-19 - exposure to sickness, joblessness, anxiety, and fear. And the Holy Land has not been spared. When the pandemic found its way into Jerusalem and the Holy Land, everything changed. And one place, the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem has been hit particularly hard.
On March 5, 2020, all tourists in the Holy Land were evacuated and the checkpoints were closed allowing no exits or entries. Every restaurant, hotel, bank, and school closed for a state of emergency, furloughing employees without pay. All the holy sites, places of worship and tourist attractions were also closed. It is now estimated that a mere 10% of the workforce is receiving salaries.
But pregnancies don’t stop for pandemics and the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem remains open and committed to caring for the most vulnerable mothers and babies of the region. Due to the number of employees who must stay home to take care of children not at school. hospital staff is diminished. One of the operating rooms has been recommissioned as an isolation ward for infected patients.
The remaining staff are working longer hours and ensuring that the doors of the Hospital are open to all without regard to need or creed. And the Hospital remains a cheerful and welcoming place dedicated to the highest standards of care.
The following comes from a letter from the president of the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem Foundation, Michele Burke-Bowe, who was one of the last to leave the Holy Land before every.:
The economic impact of Covid 19 has quickly devastated the local economy. This in turn greatly impacts the Hospital and Foundation. Given the already fragile economy in Bethlehem, the prospects of several weeks or more without salaries are unimaginable. The current 50% subsidy for all Hospital services which has allowed the families of Bethlehem to access care at the Hospital, will no longer suffice. The social workers who traditionally work closely with poorer families to determine sliding scale payments are already encountering families who don’t have enough money for food, let alone medical care. The risk that women might start to deliver at home to avoid hospital fees is growing.
Holy Family Hospital Foundation is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the families of Bethlehem. The patient fees for this time with no salary will fall to almost nothing as 75 % of the households who come to the hospital earn less than $800 per month. This means that the Hospital will need to find ways to cut already thin expenses and to look for additional revenue. The Foundation will redouble its efforts to find new private and institutional donors to ensure that the Mothers of Bethlehem can deliver their babies in a safe, clean hospital and that premature and sick newborns will have the chance to survive.
We are writing this post to help keep people informed about the situation in Palestine. Please keep the Hospital, its staff and the families of the Holy Land in your prayers along with the fundraising success of the Foundation for 2020. Discover ways you can help the Holy Family Hospital at birthplaceofhope.org.
