‘The deprived babies of Bethlehem,’ declared Director Dr Robert Tabash at the inauguration of a new nursery for the Holy Family Hospital there, ‘after their birth in this safe haven, can benefit from a beautiful and modern nursery during the first days of their lives.’ Dr Tabash thanked members of the Order worldwide who have supported the Hospital’s work and noted especially that funds for the new nursery were provided through the kind offices of the Hospitaller of the Singaporean Delegation, who appealed for donations from the Knights of Malta and their friends in Singapore.
Plans for a new nursery for the healthy newborn babies at the Hospital had been on the agenda for a long while. The old nursery was located in the Neonatal Department near the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which made it difficult for the mothers to be near their babies whenever they wished, and also created an infection vulnerability. Also, the department needed the extra space because of the increasing demand – it is the only neonatal ICU in the whole Bethlehem District.
The Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem is a joint project across the Order of Malta, under the operational responsibilities of the French Association. The hospital provides the population of Bethlehem and its surrounding area with an indispensable service, offering the only possible place for women of the region to give birth under good medical conditions. Since 1990 more than 29,000 babies have been born there. The hospital’s primary objective is to offer high-quality maternity care to all mothers, regardless of race, religion, culture or social condition.
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