President of PRCS Dr. Younes al-Khatib checks on the conditions of the Palestinians displaced from Syria to Lebanon Dr. al-Khatib also inspected the services and centers of the PRCS

 Heading a delegation from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Dr. Younes al-Khatib, President of PRCS, visited Lebanon during the period July 3-7, 2013, where he checked on the humanitarian and health conditions of the Palestinian and Syrian refugees who sought shelter in Lebanon due to the hard and regretful conditions in Syria.

Dr. Al-Khatib and the accompanying delegation, consisting of the Director General of PRCS Dr. Khaled Joudeh and Secretary of PRCS Samih Abu Eisheh, inspected the services offered by PRCS centers and hospitals in Lebanon to the displaced refugees in Syria camps. The delegation also had a look at the role of PRCS in Lebanon in terms of caring for the Palestinian people and offering humanitarian services to all needy people.

The delegation, accompanied by Dr. Mohammed Othman, Secretary of PRCS in Lebanon, and PRCS Lebanon branch personnel; Dr. Salah al-Ahmad, Director of Medical Services, Dr. Samer Chehadeh, Head of Projects ,and Ahmad Ali, head of Administration, visited the centers and hospitals of PRCS and has a closer look at the services offered.

Besides, the delegation, accompanied by Head of ICRC Canadian Savi Conard, and Secretary of ICRC Lebanese George Kittaneh, also visited PRCS Nazareth Hospital in Ber Elias region in Biqa’ and toured its sections; then, they moved to the PRCS health center in al-Jalil Camp which is close to Ba’labak, and inspected the cases of displaced Palestinians and Syrians coming to the center.

In addition, the delegation visited the Lebanese ICRC center in Zahleh region and listened to a detailed explanation about the operations and activities of the center.

In Beirut, the delegation visited PRCS Haifa Hospital in Burj al-Barajneh Camp, and looked at work inside it and the obstacles facing it. The delegation also visited PRCS al-Hamshari Hospital in the city of Sidon and toured its sections and had a closer look at the serviced offered. They listened to the hospital administration about the history of the facility and the accomplishments during the past phase and the difficulties facing it.

In Nahr al-Bared Camp in northern Lebanon, the delegation visited Dr. Fathi Arafat Health Center which was opened recently; the center was established upon funding from the ICRC. It was equipped upon support from the Palestinian Campaign to Support Nahr al-Bared Camp.

President of PRCS Dr. al-Khatib affirmed on the need to have the center offer basic support to the residents of the camp who returned to the camp after the events. The delegation then visited PRCS Safad Hospital in Baddawi camp and looked at the conditions inside it.

The delegation concluded its visit to Lebanon in a meeting held with Lebanon Region Committee and discussed with the committee the action plan for the coming phase. The meeting stressed on the pivotal role of PRCS in supporting and alleviating the suffering of the displaced Palestinians following the regretful events in Syria and in alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people in Lebanon.