Sep, 2016
Just outside of Bethlehem lies the village of Al-Walajeh in the West Bank. It’s within Area C, where any construction needs to be permitted by the Israeli government.
That’s why the project Anera just completed—the construction of the Walajeh Clinic—is so important.
Before the clinic was built this year, there was no health facility of its kind in this West Bank area. The village’s 2,500 residents had to use a small mobile clinic with limited operating hours and services. Since so many common ailments couldn’t be treated there, villagers often needed to travel to Bethlehem for basic health care.
With funding from USAID, Anera was able to construct a state-of-the-art clinic on land donated by the Walajeh Village Council. The clinic is fully equipped with a laboratory, pharmacy, reception area, and rooms for vaccinations, doctor’s examinations, and mother and child health care. It’s fully furnished with equipment and examination beds. The reception area is fitted with chairs and water coolers so patients can wait in comfort.
“Patients can wait comfortably in the waiting area, and more importantly, this clinic is designed to respect the privacy of the patients when being treated.”
This building project also created 230 short-term jobs for Palestinian workers.
“The clinic is very spacious,” said Dr. Fatheye Mesyef. “In the old mobile clinic, patients were cramped in a tiny space. But now, I’m able to provide better care because of the facilities. Patients can wait comfortably in the waiting area, and more importantly, this clinic is designed to respect the privacy of the patients when being treated.”
The Walajeh Clinic blends function with form—its sleek, modern look is fully handicap-accessible as even patients on wheelchairs can roll right up to the front door without any stairs in the way. “I love the new clinic’s design,” added Dr. Mesyef.
Health care should never be out of reach. The construction of the Al-Walajeh Clinic brings that human right to this under-served village in Area C for the first time.
