UAE's unique health initiative in Palestine

The Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation is carrying out the largest health project of its kind in the Middle East in Palestine, which targets the immunisation of 170,000 children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against meningitis, pneumonia and hepatitis. Salem Obaid Al Daheri, Director General of the Foundation, said the ambitious health programme, under the guidance of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Chairman of the foundation, costs more than $9 million (Dh33.05 million). The project, which started in September last year, will be completed by 2013 in three phases, Al Daheri added. The health project is based on an agreement between the Foundation and the Palestinian Ministry of Health and is assisted by the US-based Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation (RVF) that supports programmes to improve the health of children throughout the world. "This unique project is the first of its kind in Palestine as well as in the entire Middle East," Palestinian Minister of Health Dr Fat'hi Abu Maghli told WAM. "Our children and their parents are so grateful to Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation for this generous gesture." He thanked the UAE, its leadership and people for "this great humanitarian help" that will protect the Palestinian children against life-threatening diseases. From / Gulf News