The Italian government has provided € 1.9 million in financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to support the provision of primary health care in six health centers in Gaza for six months in 2019.
According to a statement by UNRWA, this donation will help provide about 450,000 consultations for the benefit of 340,000 Palestine refugees.
Mark Lassawi, Head of the Donor Relations Unit of UNRWA´s External Relations and Liaison Department, thanked the Italian Government for its continued and generous support for the health program in Gaza at this time of great need. "This donation will help us to ensure that health care is delivered directly to the human development of Palestine refugees."
The Italian Consul General in Jerusalem, Fabio Sokolowicz, stressed the firm support of Italy for the health sector in Palestine, stressing at the same time the great importance to ensure primary health care in the Gaza Strip, saying: "Since 2012 alone, the Italian government donated more than 60 million euros worked to enable UNRWA to continue to provide vital services to Palestine refugees. "
"Through this project, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation affirms its commitment as a leading donor in the health sector in Palestine and its determination to support Palestine refugees in Gaza," said Cristina Natoli, head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
The Italian Government is a strong supporter of the Agency, and in 2018 alone, Italy´s support of about € 15 million ensured that the Agency was able to continue to provide vital services to Palestine refugees, while the Agency faced the largest budget deficit since its inception .
