A SURGEON who worked in a Palestinian hospital has urged National readers to get behind our campaign to raise funds for vital aid in the region.
Dr Philippa Whitford, the former SNP MP for Central Ayrshire, worked in Al Ahli hospital in Gaza during the first intifada – and has urged people to back the “lifesaving work” for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).
She said the organisation is “working every single day to support medical teams and civilians in Gaza” which remains under intense bombardment from Israel.
You can donate to our fundraiser by clicking on the banner below.
Dr Whitford said: “I have known MAP for over 30 years, having worked with them as a surgical volunteer in Al Ahli hospital in Gaza in 1991-92.”
She added: “It's not over because there's a ceasefire. Literally, civilian infrastructure and particularly healthcare infrastructure in Gaza has just been utterly destroyed. The danger of people dying from other diseases because of the lack of healthcare is a real problem and the scale of destruction is something that most people can't even imagine.
“We really need to raise that money.”
Whitford also worked with MAP from 2016 onwards to set up a Scottish-Palestinian breast cancer project.
“I know how committed the MAP staff in Gaza are,” she said.
“Despite being displaced many times and facing personal injury and bereavement, they are still working every single day to support medical teams and civilians in Gaza.”
The National’s fundraiser with Medical Aid for Palestinians, which aims to get aid to the people on the ground in Gaza, has now raised over £35,000.
The amazing support from our readers has helped us to meet this target in just over three days. This means we are now not too far off our fundraising goal of £50,000.
But we still need your help to get there – please donate what you can and share the appeal with friends and family.
While the ceasefire remains intact, the need is still great – perhaps even more so than ever as Gaza’s healthcare system struggles to survive.
Thank you!
