While UHC Day (December 21, 2017) brought attention to the need for access to affordable, quality care for people everywhere, a recent Devex article looks at how Universal Health Care (UHC) has been applied to one Beirut hospital serving mostly Palestinian and Syrian refugees. The Haifa Hospital is run by Palestine Red Crescent Society and is fairly modest with 40 beds and 30 doctors.

The hospital is able to survive through donors and partnerships but can’t be sustained forever. The rising demand for health services, especially refugees in need of vaccinations and other medicines for chronic conditions means that all sectors will have to unite to help Haifa continue its work.

“To continue our work, we depend on stronger partnerships that bring together government, private sector, communities, and humanitarian actors.” – Dr. Younis Al Khatib, President of Palestine Red Crescent Society

The private sector can contribute invaluable resources and expertise, even in the case for public healthcare. To learn more about how the private sector can contribute to UHC, read our recent article here.

photo credit: World Bank