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October 31, 2005. CARE West Bank and Gaza held a ceremony in Ramallah to launch the third phase of the Emergency Medical Assistance Program. The new project, known as EMAP III, will help the health sector in the West Bank and Gaza over the next two years through the provision of medicines, medical supplies, and support to primary and rehabilitative health care organizations. Funding is provided by the United States Agency for International Development. Dr. Anan Al-Masri, Deputy Minister of Health, and Mr. Jim Bever, USAID Mission Director, attended the ceremony, in addition to primary and rehabilitative health care NGOs, public health organizations, and CARE staff. Jim Bever said that medicines and medical supplies will be purchased for the Palestinian Ministry of Health and NGOs, in addition to purchasing some spare parts, repairing equipment, and covering running costs. Also, EMAP III will provide assistance in organizational capacity building, the rational use of medicines (RMU). Anan Al-Masri described the Emergency Medical Assistance Program as consistent with the strategies and priorities of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and he said his Ministry wants to work with the international community to improve the health services offered to Palestinians. Elizabeth Sime, Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza, said that as part of EMAP III, CARE will provide medicine and medical aid to the most marginalized segments of Palestinian society, and she thanked USAID for supporting this vital project. Implementation of EMAP III will run from October 2005 until September 2007. The overall objective is to continue supporting and strengthening the Palestinian health care system, in order to maintain the health and well-being of Palestinians that have been affected by the violence and economic and social dislocation over the past five years. Annually, EMAP III will help more than 300,000 Palestinians through its support to the NGO sector, and approximately 400,000 Palestinians through the public sector. Salam Kanaan Health Sector Coordinator, EMAP III CARE West Bank and Gaza Kanaan@carewbg.org |
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