JERUSALEM-WESTBANK-GAZA - Palestinians in their villages lack access to basic services, especially health, as village facilities are often inadequate, if they exist at all, and are inaccessible as roadblocks and checkpoints make it impossible to travel. As the isolation of Palestinian cities, towns and villages continues, mobility restrictions increase. Palestinians are finding it more and more difficult to move from one place to another to meet their daily needs. Most alarming is the inability of people with medical needs to reach locations in which comprehensive health services are provided.

Over the past two years, 73 Palestinians died at Israeli checkpoints after being denied access. Road and other accident victims also suffer from a lack of emergency facilities. Furthermore, many other patients, including pregnant women, needing urgent hospital treatment threaten to lose their lives and those of their infants as they are forced to give birth in dangerous and unhygienic conditions.

In response, World Vision is establishing clinics in areas where people are unable to reach proper hospitals. These clinics are equipped with professional medical personnel and the equipment needed to perform safe deliveries of babies, deal with medical emergencies and provide regular health services. Furthermore, World Vision purchases and distributes medicine and medical kits to needy areas in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.