As a mother of three young children, Fatima Badran is no stranger to colds and infections.
However, when her youngest child’s symptoms were not improving, she decided to take time off from work and go to the charitable clinic in her town for a quick check-up.
Dr. Imad Slemiya, general practitioner, readily welcomes mother and daughter. Young Celia is cranky and fidgety, but Dr. Slemiya manages to examine her with ease thanks to years of practice. After checking her throat, ears, nose and chest, he determines the cause of the infection is bacterial and briefs the mother on the preferred method of treatment. He prescribes an antibiotic to tearful Celia to help her fight the bacterial infection.
Antibiotics can be expensive and aren’t always available in Idhna, but the antibiotic Celia needs was recently delivered by Anera as part of a donation made by trusted in-kind partner, AmeriCares. Most parents who visit the charitable center in cannot afford the price of medicines sold at pharmacies, and they are always elated to find needed medicines free of charge.
Because nearly half the Palestinian population has no form of health insurance, medicines that can be prescribed and given out free-of-charge are always in demand. “When medicines like this antibiotic is available for free, it helps the child get treated at the right time. It also takes some pressure off the parents who struggle to make ends meet,” explains Dr. Slemiya.
Donated Medicines Keep the Only Clinic in Idhna Running
The doctor explains how vital Anera’s donated medications are to the durability and efficiency of the charitable center: “To provide the best primary health care for our patients, we have to have essential medications in stock and in the right amounts at all times,” he explains. “Without these donations, the center would have to buy the medications, which would strain our limited budget and leave us unable to provide the best care.”
Without these donations, the center would have to buy the medications, which would strain our limited budget and leave us unable to provide the best care.
