Bank of Palestine donated a technology-equipped bus for the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem to transfer patients and persons with disabilities from and to the Gaza Strip. The internal space of the bus can accommodate several patients and includes a special section equipped with wheelchairs for transporting persons with disabilities, thus enabling the hospital to secure a safe, comfortable and free transportation for patients within the framework of comprehensive services provided by the hospital, especially in light of the difficult economic conditions confronted by Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.
The bus was handed over in the presence of Mr. Mahmoud Al Shawa, the General Manager of Bank of Palestine, accompanied by a delegation from the bank’s upper management, and Dr. Walid Nammur, the Executive Director of the August Victoria Hospital, accompanied by representatives from the hospital’s administrative and medical staff.
Through this donation, Bank of Palestine seeks to provide a comfortable and safe means of transportation for patients coming from and returning to the Gaza Strip, as the Bank seeks to cover the costs of preparing the bus according to the standards and specifications provided by the hospital to suit the needs of patients.
From his part, Mr. Mahmoud Al Shawa expressed pride in the Bank’s family for contributing to support the efforts of the Augusta Victoria Hospital, one of Jerusalem’s oldest and most prestigious medical institutions, in serving its people, and enabling it to continue providing its medical services to patients from the Gaza Strip, especially cancer patients. This donation stems from the bank’s social responsibility and its pledge to continue supporting the Palestinian people, both individuals and institutions, in all areas.
Al Shawa stressed that Bank of Palestine strives to support its people in the Gaza Strip and assist the August Victoria Jerusalemite Hospital in order to “alleviate the suffering of our people in the Gaza Strip and ensure the dignity and comfort of patients and family members accompanying them,” stated Al Shawa. “We feel the pain and agony experienced by patients, both adults and children, and their families in the Gaza Strip, especially with the difficulty of movement between Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip,” stated Al Shawa, and “we realize the important role played by the hospital in providing the necessary medical treatment and facilitating the transportation of patients from the Gaza Strip to the hospital and back,” he added.
Mr. Walid Nammur thanked Bank of Palestine for its generous donation to serve patients, which comes as a continuation of its support for the hospital. Nammur added that the introduction of the delivery service for patients to and from the Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint on a daily and periodic basis, makes it easier for patients to access treatment in a comfortable and dignified manner and makes it easy for them to commit to the treatment schedules and appointments, and complements the comprehensive and supportive services provided by the hospital to patients.
Mr. Nammur explained that 35% of hospital patients are from the Gaza Strip, stressing that the hospital is continuing its development plans in order to accommodate patients and provide them with the best and latest treatments.
Bank of Palestine is committed to allocating 5% of its annual profits for community initiatives, stemming from its vision to support the community by contributing effectively to achieving both social and economic development. The Bank directs its support to various sectors, allocating a large part of this support for the benefit of the health sector to enable it to develop the medical services provided to the Palestinian people.